While the article is quite light on details. Access is a company that was founded in 1979 and is focused mainly on wireless networking technology and java.
From there website -
"By the mid-1980s we were confident that the time would soon come when the Internet would be accessible to everyone. We also predicted that the tools used to access the Internet would not be PCs, but dedicated Internet terminal devices, including small, easy-to-operate home appliances, that would be both compact and simple to use."
Talk about having one hell of a vision and forsight in the mid-1980's!
It seems (at least according to their website) that they make most of their money from wireless phones by providing different services and wireless applications.
From their site:
"In Japan, ACCESS is the leading supplier of Internet software for mobile telephones, PDAs, video game consoles, word processors and other non-PC devices. With a market share in excess of 80%, we enjoy an unrivalled reputation as a company setting the de facto standard in this field"
This seems like a pretty interesting company. This is the first I've heard of them. I hope you guys find the background info useful, because the article that is linked is *very* light on information.
Let me say that I work for a DSL company. The comparison that is always made is the one of the normal connection being the equivalent of a t-1 line. However what most people don't understand is that dsl and cable traffic is mostly burst traffic. Meaning that there are relatively quick spikes. The norm at least in my area is that you can fit 125+ users on a t-1 line all at a full 512/512 symetric. If one person is cranking away all the time, there is bandwidth to spare, however if you have three people cranking then there is a problem. You simply take care of those users, or you upgrade the line to the backbone. My dsl company is a sister company with a phone company, so for us it's no big deal to just drop a DS3 in from the hut to our main offices.
Even the smaller dsl companies have deals setup to get better pricing for bigger pipes, because remember they can get a burstable DS3, so you have 3 people cranking all the time, so what you other 120 odd users aren't.
Now, I'm all for charging those trouble users, but I think the cable companies are just simply over selling their lines and taking steps to punish everyone. We get away with 125+ users per t-1, but that's because we've looked at it, and it works. Keeps everyone happy.
The cable companys on the other hand are just over selling their cable lines, and it's hard to just up and rollout more cable lines. So for now it's mostly the cable companies fault, and I think they are just looking to further pad their wallets by punishing everyone.
Mod this as you will, I'm not so sure anyone will even see it.:-)
"New low-cost digital technology gives enthusiasts the chance to be desktop filmmakers, shooting new footage and combining it with existing movies. While DVDs are encoded to safeguard against piracy and copying, and the studios vigorously pursue civil and criminal proceedings against people they catch, more sophisticated computer users still find ways around that. With DVD-writing software, and illegal but fairly easy to find encryption decoders, not only can adventurous viewers reedit movies like "Star Wars" on their computers--removing "characters from a movie that they don't like," as Coppola suggests--but there's the possibility of creating entirely new movies from existing ones."
Couple interesting things here. In this article we are not criminals, we are sophisticated computer users.
And number two, it seems to me that there is support for this behavior by the directors of these films.
Maybe they realize that this is not a crime, it is simply our fair use right when we buy the dvd.
"Sales of DVDs last year reached $4.6 billion, 21/2 times their 2000 revenue, according to the L.A.-based DVD Entertainment Group, a consortium of the major studios and distributors."
Isn't this just another reason why we don't need digital controls on hardware and yet another reason why we don't need the sssca?
If we stretch a rubber band around the surface of an apple, then we can shrink it down to a point by moving it slowly, without tearing it and without allowing it to leave the surface. On the other hand, if we imagine that the same rubber band has somehow been stretched in the appropriate direction around a doughnut, then there is no way of shrinking it to a point without breaking either the rubber band or the doughnut. We say the surface of the apple is "simply connected," but that the surface of the doughnut is not. Poincaré, almost a hundred years ago, knew that a two dimensional sphere is essentially characterized by this property of simple connectivity, and asked the corresponding question for the three dimensional sphere (the set of points in four dimensional space at unit distance from the origin). This question turned out to be extraordinarily difficult, and mathematicians have been struggling with it ever since.
Re:I hope it's digital.
on
Time Travel
·
· Score: 1
If it's digital then it better have digital copyright controls built in so you can't copy music or movies with it! hehe
I work for an isp that does mainly dsl and dialup service. As far as software goes, we'll support anything, but most people are running Outlook Express and Internet Explorer. 98% of my software calls are these two programs.
There really is no reason we can't support any email program, but people just aren't using them at home.
As far as the VNC idea, great in practice, but how hard is it to configure any web browser or email program over the phone? If something would require VNC, then it's something that you probably shouldn't be tech-ing, refer them to the hardware manufactor. I'm not saying I'm lazy, but my company isn't paying me to fix your virus scan, printer, and hard drive.
Finally what I would like to see is ISP's forcing people to use HARDWARE MODEMS. Nothing is more frustrating then trying to tech a compaq with a crappy HSP modem that doesn't work if you're using more then 50% of your cpu.:(
The school that I attend has software deals with all of the major manufactors, Microsoft, Sun, Oracle, etc...
I can walk into any of the campus computer labs and for free I can pick up a copy of just about any microsoft product. Win98, 2000, xp, office xp, visual studio, etc... Also I can get a full working version of oracle for $5.
My University has worked out software deals with these companies. They pay one fee each year and then the University can make as many copies of the software as they'd like.
I think this is a great way to go, because it keeps us legal, keeps the software cheap, and allows us to get experience on software we wouldn't otherwise be able to afford.:-)
Here's some things you can do to make your ebay purchase a safer experience.
1. Involve the United States Post Office. Once you involve them, you have them on your side becaues they really hate mail fraud. You can contact your postmaster and he can usually start the investiation rolling. Remember, mail fraud is a federal offence.
2. Contact the seller. If the person is not willing to talk to you directly on the phone about a high ticket item you are buying, do you really want to do business with him?
3. Not to be redundant, but ESCROW ESCROW ESCROW. If you are spending over $50, isn't the extra $5 or $10 worth it?
4. Use a real credit card and not a debit card that withdraws from you bank account. Discover is probably one of the best I've used. Any problems I've had, they have immediately put a hold on the money, and credit my account with the money in question, until they can get it sorted out.
5. Use your head. If something seems to good to be true, then it is, especially on the internet.
I just don't understand why people are having this many problems with online purchases. If you follow these simple steps you will not come accross any problems that you can't get resolved. Are you guys really this trusting? Come on now, it's the internet, don't trust anyone. If you're getting ripped off like this, to be honest, you probably deserve it. Maybe you should rethink this internet purchasing thing, it might not be for you.
SIG - I love you guys, mod me to +5 then bash me back down to +2.:-)
New York - USA plans on releases mutant pigeons into the wild. These mutant pigeons are sterle but are equiped with lazer beams. The hope is they will eradicate the pigeon population.
"The hope is that after these birds elimate the other pigeons they will go after vigrant humans." - One offical said.
When asked what would be done if these mutant pigeons got out of hand - "We have a backup plan to release mutant wolverines that will go after the mutant pigeons"
Is anyone else reminded of that Simpson's episode with the lizards?
Do I like my job? Well let's take a look. Do I like the phone the rings no stop? Do I like the customers on the other end? Do I like the bullshit policies I have to follow? Do I like working the off the wall hours every week? Do I like my co-worker who smells and is greasy using my work station? Do I like the vending machine that refuses to dispense my candy bar? Do I like my inept managers?
No, but that's life and that's what pays the bills. Boo Hoo You don't like your job at NASA... Suck it up and deal with it, or move on, because there sure as hell is someone else out there that will do your job, and probably for lesser money.
I don't mean to sound angry, but if you don't like your job quit. Do something else. Otherwise suck it up and do your best and be happy with your paycheck. Find outside interests, take pride in what you do outside work. Get a girlfriend, fuck your wife, whatever. Just don't complain to 1/2 a million people about it.;)
From the article "The Humane Society of the United States opposes pet cloning, the Journal said, because of the danger of overpopulation."
I don't understand why they are really worried about this. It is quite apparent that a person who is willing to spend big bucks on having their pet cloned obviously loved the animal in the first place.
I could however understand an objection to say a pet breeder having prize animals cloned, but they never made any distinctions and this technology does have practical applications for grieving pet lovers.:-)
I know I would love to have a copy of my dog Mookie who died a few years ago.;-(
Why is Jon Katz the only slashdotter to review movies? I would be interested to hear a review from one of the other guys. CowboyNeal? Michael? Hemos? Anyone. Please you guys could do a better job then Katz I'm sure. Please spare us from his rambling, round-about, never reaching a real conclusion hippy crap!
Here's something you can do to fight snail mail spam in your state. When you receive a piece of junk mail, open it and take out the pre-paid postage envelope. Now open a second piece of junk mail and take it's contents and stuff it into the first pre-paid envelope. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat with every piece of junk mail you get. Then take them and mail them back to the fuckers who sent them.
Think about it, they are paying twice to get 0 results.:-)
Inevitably this will be compared to the failed divx producted produced by circit city a few years back. (Neglecting the stupid proprietary player you had to buy) The main reason that divx failed, was not because of a consumor lack of interest, but instead because of the lack of industry support. The industry did not want to get behind a product that could be re-activated. It was their view that this product was just like a full version of the film. They realized full well (for once) that they were putting a product out there that would be cracked. With cracked divx floating around, everyone could have cheap movies. Who wouldn't want a $3.99 movie title.
The reason Limited-Use DVD's might succeed is this: if the companies involved can actually get these stupid things to distruct then the industry will back them. These companies work to make money by taking advantage of the consumer, and with little risk of the consumer pulling one over on the industry, the product is viable for them.
Also if this technology works it can be deployed immediately, there is no modifications that need to happen to your exsisting dvd players.
And for those that don't get out much, go to your local Blockbuster, notice anything? Way more dvd's now then ever before, why? More players, and this is the technology that the industry wants us to use.
I'm just happy I got my dvd player that plays all regions and allows me to turn off copy protection (to vhs).:-)
What is the point of a debian based commercial linux os? Debian is by far my favorite choice. Getting it setup takes a little bit of time, but once it's running it is really super easy to update and install new software.
apt-get update
apt-get install foo_software
How hard is that? I don't mind paying to support linux, but why am I going to pay for a distribution based on debian, when debian already kicks butt?
And with the work being done on the debian install process it is getting easier all the time.
From the article - "That is not as crazy as it sounds. Technically, concrete is simply a mixture of three ingredients: big lumps of material called the coarse aggregate (such as gravel), smaller lumps called the fine aggregate (such as sand) and a binding agent, or cement, to glue it all together into a solid. So translucent concrete, in theory, should be fairly easy to make using bits of plastic or glass of various sizes, with some kind of transparent glue to act as a binding agent."
So basically he wants to make concrete using glass and plastic. What the hell does making see through aluminum have to do with anything? Do slashdot editors read the articles before posting them?
Okay first of, if they are getting free computers these people are not buying the latest and greatest piece of computer hardware and they certainly are not going to be able to buy the latest release of quake.
Secondly, I would say less then 10% of the readers of slashdot are actually writing code for the rest of the world. So this is not even an issue.
Slashdot Mirror
From there website -
Talk about having one hell of a vision and forsight in the mid-1980's!
It seems (at least according to their website) that they make most of their money from wireless phones by providing different services and wireless applications.
From their site:
This seems like a pretty interesting company. This is the first I've heard of them. I hope you guys find the background info useful, because the article that is linked is *very* light on information.
:-)
Let me say that I work for a DSL company. The comparison that is always made is the one of the normal connection being the equivalent of a t-1 line. However what most people don't understand is that dsl and cable traffic is mostly burst traffic. Meaning that there are relatively quick spikes. The norm at least in my area is that you can fit 125+ users on a t-1 line all at a full 512/512 symetric. If one person is cranking away all the time, there is bandwidth to spare, however if you have three people cranking then there is a problem. You simply take care of those users, or you upgrade the line to the backbone. My dsl company is a sister company with a phone company, so for us it's no big deal to just drop a DS3 in from the hut to our main offices.
:-)
Even the smaller dsl companies have deals setup to get better pricing for bigger pipes, because remember they can get a burstable DS3, so you have 3 people cranking all the time, so what you other 120 odd users aren't.
Now, I'm all for charging those trouble users, but I think the cable companies are just simply over selling their lines and taking steps to punish everyone. We get away with 125+ users per t-1, but that's because we've looked at it, and it works. Keeps everyone happy.
The cable companys on the other hand are just over selling their cable lines, and it's hard to just up and rollout more cable lines. So for now it's mostly the cable companies fault, and I think they are just looking to further pad their wallets by punishing everyone.
Mod this as you will, I'm not so sure anyone will even see it.
From the article:
"New low-cost digital technology gives enthusiasts the chance to be desktop filmmakers, shooting new footage and combining it with existing movies. While DVDs are encoded to safeguard against piracy and copying, and the studios vigorously pursue civil and criminal proceedings against people they catch, more sophisticated computer users still find ways around that. With DVD-writing software, and illegal but fairly easy to find encryption decoders, not only can adventurous viewers reedit movies like "Star Wars" on their computers--removing "characters from a movie that they don't like," as Coppola suggests--but there's the possibility of creating entirely new movies from existing ones."
Couple interesting things here. In this article we are not criminals, we are sophisticated computer users.
And number two, it seems to me that there is support for this behavior by the directors of these films.
Maybe they realize that this is not a crime, it is simply our fair use right when we buy the dvd.
- Just my 2 cents.
From the article:
"Sales of DVDs last year reached $4.6 billion, 21/2 times their 2000 revenue, according to the L.A.-based DVD Entertainment Group, a consortium of the major studios and distributors."
Isn't this just another reason why we don't need digital controls on hardware and yet another reason why we don't need the sssca?
- I think so.
If we stretch a rubber band around the surface of an apple, then we can shrink it down to a point by moving it slowly, without tearing it and without allowing it to leave the surface. On the other hand, if we imagine that the same rubber band has somehow been stretched in the appropriate direction around a doughnut, then there is no way of shrinking it to a point without breaking either the rubber band or the doughnut. We say the surface of the apple is "simply connected," but that the surface of the doughnut is not. Poincaré, almost a hundred years ago, knew that a two dimensional sphere is essentially characterized by this property of simple connectivity, and asked the corresponding question for the three dimensional sphere (the set of points in four dimensional space at unit distance from the origin). This question turned out to be extraordinarily difficult, and mathematicians have been struggling with it ever since.
If it's digital then it better have digital copyright controls built in so you can't copy music or movies with it! hehe
I work for an isp that does mainly dsl and dialup service. As far as software goes, we'll support anything, but most people are running Outlook Express and Internet Explorer. 98% of my software calls are these two programs.
:(
There really is no reason we can't support any email program, but people just aren't using them at home.
As far as the VNC idea, great in practice, but how hard is it to configure any web browser or email program over the phone? If something would require VNC, then it's something that you probably shouldn't be tech-ing, refer them to the hardware manufactor. I'm not saying I'm lazy, but my company isn't paying me to fix your virus scan, printer, and hard drive.
Finally what I would like to see is ISP's forcing people to use HARDWARE MODEMS. Nothing is more frustrating then trying to tech a compaq with a crappy HSP modem that doesn't work if you're using more then 50% of your cpu.
We hate the MPAA . . . Ewww look shiney object!
All your Americas are belong to Chinese?
The school that I attend has software deals with all of the major manufactors, Microsoft, Sun, Oracle, etc...
:-)
I can walk into any of the campus computer labs and for free I can pick up a copy of just about any microsoft product. Win98, 2000, xp, office xp, visual studio, etc... Also I can get a full working version of oracle for $5.
My University has worked out software deals with these companies. They pay one fee each year and then the University can make as many copies of the software as they'd like.
I think this is a great way to go, because it keeps us legal, keeps the software cheap, and allows us to get experience on software we wouldn't otherwise be able to afford.
This is an Olympic Sport waiting to happen, if I've ever seen one. :-)
In case you were wondering the nine states that are not settled yet are:
:-)
1. California
2. Connecticut
3. Florida
4. Iowa
5. Kansas
6. Massachusetts
7. Minnesota
8. Utah
9. West Virginia
Also the District of Columbia.
I wish they would state this in each article.
Here's a link to the ad free version.
No-Ads
Here's some things you can do to make your ebay purchase a safer experience.
1. Involve the United States Post Office. Once you involve them, you have them on your side becaues they really hate mail fraud. You can contact your postmaster and he can usually start the investiation rolling. Remember, mail fraud is a federal offence.
2. Contact the seller. If the person is not willing to talk to you directly on the phone about a high ticket item you are buying, do you really want to do business with him?
3. Not to be redundant, but ESCROW ESCROW ESCROW. If you are spending over $50, isn't the extra $5 or $10 worth it?
4. Use a real credit card and not a debit card that withdraws from you bank account. Discover is probably one of the best I've used. Any problems I've had, they have immediately put a hold on the money, and credit my account with the money in question, until they can get it sorted out.
5. Use your head. If something seems to good to be true, then it is, especially on the internet.
I just don't understand why people are having this many problems with online purchases. If you follow these simple steps you will not come accross any problems that you can't get resolved. Are you guys really this trusting? Come on now, it's the internet, don't trust anyone. If you're getting ripped off like this, to be honest, you probably deserve it. Maybe you should rethink this internet purchasing thing, it might not be for you.
SIG - I love you guys, mod me to +5 then bash me back down to +2.
New York - USA plans on releases mutant pigeons into the wild. These mutant pigeons are sterle but are equiped with lazer beams. The hope is they will eradicate the pigeon population.
"The hope is that after these birds elimate the other pigeons they will go after vigrant humans." - One offical said.
When asked what would be done if these mutant pigeons got out of hand - "We have a backup plan to release mutant wolverines that will go after the mutant pigeons"
Is anyone else reminded of that Simpson's episode with the lizards?
Do I like my job? Well let's take a look. Do I like the phone the rings no stop? Do I like the customers on the other end? Do I like the bullshit policies I have to follow? Do I like working the off the wall hours every week? Do I like my co-worker who smells and is greasy using my work station? Do I like the vending machine that refuses to dispense my candy bar? Do I like my inept managers?
;)
No, but that's life and that's what pays the bills. Boo Hoo You don't like your job at NASA... Suck it up and deal with it, or move on, because there sure as hell is someone else out there that will do your job, and probably for lesser money.
I don't mean to sound angry, but if you don't like your job quit. Do something else. Otherwise suck it up and do your best and be happy with your paycheck. Find outside interests, take pride in what you do outside work. Get a girlfriend, fuck your wife, whatever. Just don't complain to 1/2 a million people about it.
I'll bash you in the face.
From the article "The Humane Society of the United States opposes pet cloning, the Journal said, because of the danger of overpopulation."
:-)
;-(
I don't understand why they are really worried about this. It is quite apparent that a person who is willing to spend big bucks on having their pet cloned obviously loved the animal in the first place.
I could however understand an objection to say a pet breeder having prize animals cloned, but they never made any distinctions and this technology does have practical applications for grieving pet lovers.
I know I would love to have a copy of my dog Mookie who died a few years ago.
- I'll bash you in the face.
Why is Jon Katz the only slashdotter to review movies? I would be interested to hear a review from one of the other guys. CowboyNeal? Michael? Hemos? Anyone. Please you guys could do a better job then Katz I'm sure. Please spare us from his rambling, round-about, never reaching a real conclusion hippy crap!
- I'll bash you in the face.
Here's something you can do to fight snail mail spam in your state. When you receive a piece of junk mail, open it and take out the pre-paid postage envelope. Now open a second piece of junk mail and take it's contents and stuff it into the first pre-paid envelope. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat with every piece of junk mail you get. Then take them and mail them back to the fuckers who sent them.
:-)
Think about it, they are paying twice to get 0 results.
Inevitably this will be compared to the failed divx producted produced by circit city a few years back. (Neglecting the stupid proprietary player you had to buy) The main reason that divx failed, was not because of a consumor lack of interest, but instead because of the lack of industry support. The industry did not want to get behind a product that could be re-activated. It was their view that this product was just like a full version of the film. They realized full well (for once) that they were putting a product out there that would be cracked. With cracked divx floating around, everyone could have cheap movies. Who wouldn't want a $3.99 movie title.
:-)
The reason Limited-Use DVD's might succeed is this: if the companies involved can actually get these stupid things to distruct then the industry will back them. These companies work to make money by taking advantage of the consumer, and with little risk of the consumer pulling one over on the industry, the product is viable for them.
Also if this technology works it can be deployed immediately, there is no modifications that need to happen to your exsisting dvd players.
And for those that don't get out much, go to your local Blockbuster, notice anything? Way more dvd's now then ever before, why? More players, and this is the technology that the industry wants us to use.
I'm just happy I got my dvd player that plays all regions and allows me to turn off copy protection (to vhs).
I want to build a lego robot that does nothing but hit refresh in my web browser and check slashdot for new stories, and then submits first post! w00t
-I'll Bash you in the forhead.
What is the point of a debian based commercial linux os? Debian is by far my favorite choice. Getting it setup takes a little bit of time, but once it's running it is really super easy to update and install new software.
apt-get update
apt-get install foo_software
How hard is that? I don't mind paying to support linux, but why am I going to pay for a distribution based on debian, when debian already kicks butt?
And with the work being done on the debian install process it is getting easier all the time.
- I'll bash you in the forhead.
From the article - "That is not as crazy as it sounds. Technically, concrete is simply a mixture of three ingredients: big lumps of material called the coarse aggregate (such as gravel), smaller lumps called the fine aggregate (such as sand) and a binding agent, or cement, to glue it all together into a solid. So translucent concrete, in theory, should be fairly easy to make using bits of plastic or glass of various sizes, with some kind of transparent glue to act as a binding agent."
So basically he wants to make concrete using glass and plastic. What the hell does making see through aluminum have to do with anything? Do slashdot editors read the articles before posting them?
What there aren't enough of is plan old examples. Here is my configuration. xxx's replace personal info. :)
/sbin/iptables -t nat -F
/sbin/iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -o eth1 -j MASQUERADE
/sbin/iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -p tcp --dport 2021 -j DNAT --to 10.10.10.2:21
/sbin/iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -p tcp --dport 2022 -j DNAT --to 10.10.10.2:22
/sbin/iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -p tcp --dport 2080 -j DNAT --to 10.10.10.2:80
/sbin/iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -p tcp --dport 33022 -j DNAT --to 10.10.10.33:22
/sbin/iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -p tcp --dport 33021 -j DNAT --to 10.10.10.33:21
/sbin/iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -p tcp --dport 25022 -j DNAT --to 10.10.10.25:22
/sbin/iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -p tcp --dport 5800 -j DNAT --to 10.10.10.3:5800
/sbin/iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -p tcp --dport 5900 -j DNAT --to 10.10.10.3:5900
/sbin/iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -p tcp --dport 5801 -j DNAT --to 10.10.10.2:5801
/sbin/iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -p tcp --dport 5901 -j DNAT --to 10.10.10.2:5901
iface eth1 inet static
address 209.195.xxx.xxx
netmask 255.255.255.224
gateway 209.195.xxx.xxx
iface eth0 inet static
address 10.10.10.1
netmask 255.255.255.0
network 10.10.10.0
broadcast 10.10.10.255
up
up
up
up
up
up
up
up
up
up
up
up
Okay first of, if they are getting free computers these people are not buying the latest and greatest piece of computer hardware and they certainly are not going to be able to buy the latest release of quake.
Secondly, I would say less then 10% of the readers of slashdot are actually writing code for the rest of the world. So this is not even an issue.