>
How do you distinguish a list from a copy? And would not the burden of proof be on the accuser? Don't they need to provide some mechanism for making the case that it was 'their' data that was 'stolen'?
You would presumably place a copyright trap in your database.
Map makers, form companies, and the like are known to insert intentionalerrors in their maps in order to prevent somebody who has copied their information from claiming that the information was gathered independently.
In this interview from February, SCO themselves claimed the ABI code was GPLd:
MozillaQuest Magazine: Regarding binfmt_coff, abi-util, lcall7, abi-svr4, abi-sco; are any of these modules SCO IP?
Blake Stowell: No, none of the code in the Linux ABI modules contains SCO IP. This code is under the GPL and it re-implements publicly documented interfaces. We do not have an issue with the Linux ABI modules. The IP that we are licensing is all in the shared libraries - these libraries are needed by many OpenServer applications *in addition* to the Linux ABI.
So now it's clear: SCO intends to argue that the so-called "viral" nature of the GPL makes it 'unconstituational' (whatever that means).
By McBride's reckoning, the GPL deprives creators of their right to profit from their creations if they incorporate GPL'd code into their creation.
SCO have made reference to the GPL "virus" in previous (nonsensical) claims that the GPL would prevent, e.g., a brokerage firm from 'distributing' an application that uses GPL code internally within the company.
Finding ways to exploit parallelism and hide memory latency are important problems in processor design, and definitely interesting stuff, my counter-sarcasm notwithstanding.
> Coming in 2005, the second generation of [Sun's] technology will offer 15 times the performance of current Ultrasparc IIIi technology
According to Sun's press release, they will release hardware in "2005/2006" that is "expected" to increase throughput by 15 times for "Web, application serving, simple databases".
> Vaporware
"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
In the current story, the technology was developed at MIT, demonstrated for the media, and is being commercialized by IO2 Technology".
Both systems appear to use a particle wall or sheet, onto which video is projected. Neither is anywhere close to "holographic," so I'm afraid those late-night session "learning Vulcan" with Virtual T'Pol are still a few years off.
> I hope the EFF/RedHat/IBM steps up and looks after the first person they try to sue.
I assume that this is exactly what SCO wants.
1) SCO sues IBM customer(s) 2) IBM customer turns to IBM, saying "this is your fault, not ours" 3) IBM, seeing where this is going, indemnifies their customers 4) SCO files hail-Mary lawsuit for one zillion dollars against all of IBM's (indemnified) customers, hoping the added financial risk will bring IBM to the buyout table
The legal system is imperfect, and there is always some chance that a judge or jury will simply Get It Wrong.
SCO knows that the best way to get IBM to settle is to make their potential loss so great that it's not worth taking the chance of having a non-technical judge & jury decide the case. Suing IBM's customers as a means of drawing IBM in deeper is exactly what SCO is trying to accomplish.
While optimized for graphics, GPUs can indeed be used as general-purpose processors. GPUs are effectively stream processors, a class of devices whose architecture and programming model make then particularly efficient for scientific calculation.
> It might take a real long time, but it is a general purpose processor and so can process anything
The same holds true for GPUs. Like CPUs, they are turing complete.
Steve Albini wrote a classic article, The Problem with Music, on the financial shenagins pulled by the record industry.
The article demonstrates how a band can manage to generate millions of dollars of profit for a label, but still owe the label money.
The article includes sample figures that indicate 'recording costs' of $150,000, and a wholesale price of $6.50 per CD (circa 1994, when the article was first published).
Thanks again for the friendly advice -- rest assured that I will strive daily to live up to your expert, obviously superior standard of humor in the future!
Not that I'm particularly keen on the continued flogging of this already-dead horse, but dictionary.com defines "investment" as:
1. The act of investing. 2. An amount invested. 3. Property or another possession acquired for future financial return or benefit. 4. A commitment, as of time or support. 5. A military siege. 6. Archaic.
a. A garment; a vestment.
b. An outer covering or layer.
and provides a primary definition of "invest":
1. To commit (money or capital) in order to gain a financial return
Thanks again, and best of luck in the new year with your surly, superior attitude!
An 'investment' is most often defined as something acquired for future financial gain. Some typical examples include, stocks, bonds, real estate, antiques, precious metals, commodity futures, and certificates of deposit. I have owned most of these items at some point in my life.
Some people also consider property acquired for other, more general future 'benefit' to be an investment. In this case, one might consider CDs, DVDs, posters of Pamela Anderson Lee, and boxes of twinkies "investments". I have also owned most of these items (OK, all but the poster -- Pamela Lee never really did it for me) at some point in my life.
You say that "anything that you put money into for use" is an investment. I'm not one to tell a man what words he can or cannot use -- nay, I applaud your plucky daring-do, and wish you well with your portfoliio of shampoo, razor blades, and odor-eaters!
> DVDs and CDs present value when they have good re-play ability. After all, they are an INVESTMENT.
I couldn't agree more -- CDs and DVDs are a great investment!
I bought 10000 shares of "Oops, I did It Again" at $4.99, and now it's trading at $7.50. Now if only the Republicans will force through that capital gains tax cut this year, I'll be rich!
My brother, on the other hand, lost everything by shorting "Genie In a Bottle" last year. Now he's reduced to dabbling in penny CD's from the cut-out bin. Be careful out there.
> Dr. Mercola [mercola.com], a naturopathic doctor out of Chicago, also has many good articles about the possible causes of austism.
Like my grandma always said, "you'll never go wrong with a Doctor sells 'superfood' that will 'optimize your weight' and 'improve your detoxification system' on his website."
The S&P 500, as a group, has a price to earnings ratio of more than 30. The historical average is 15.
The S&P dividend yield is approximately 1.5 The historical average is approximately 4.5.
Some people claim that you can't use p-to-e, dividiend yields, price-to-book, or any of the time-proven methods of valuing stocks any more. "This time, things are different!" they cry.
That refrain certainly sounds famililar... And it sounded familiar in the late 1920's as well.
Yes, stocks are certainly cheaper than they were a year ago. But they're definitely not "cheap"!
Yes, it's surprising, but a horizontal resolution of 2k or so is more than adequate for most 35mm film work.
By the time you factor in multigeneration prints, film grain, sprocket jitter, and old, dirty lenses -- all of which essentially blur the resulting images -- the effective resolution of the system at your local multiplex is pretty pathetic.
> But imagine downloading Toy Story 3 or something to your PC... not as a pre-rendered movie, but as a real-time scripted 3D engine with a soundtrack.
That's also not likely to happen anytime soon.
Rendering a film is very much an exercise in data compression. Many terabytes of texture, geometric models, animation scripts, background plates, and simulation data go into a typical Pixar/PDI/Square/Blue Sky production.
Furthermore, it is very often the case that the production takes advantage of the fact that the camera location and movement are locked down as art and other assets are being created. 2D background 'flats' and other 2D effects are a great way to save time and money.
All that goes out the window if the end user is free to fly around in Ghost mode like some spectral Michael Ballhaus.
> How does the equation change when you consider the resolution used for each animated frame (of Toy Story), and resolutions that are common in the gaming arena?
Not a lot.
Toy Story was rendered at approx 1536 x 922, only 8% more pixels than 1280 x 1024.
Slashdot Mirror
Wow, my entire stock of tinfoil hats sold out in less than an hour this morning! Anybody know what's going on?
You would presumably place a copyright trap in your database.
Map makers, form companies, and the like are known to insert intentional errors in their maps in order to prevent somebody who has copied their information from claiming that the information was gathered independently.
That's what I get for cutting-and-pasting.
Obviously, that should be, "Close a deal with a handshake."
He was a MIT professor, prolific inventor, artist and by all acounts an incredibly nice person.
He's also responsible for one of my favorite quotes:
Work like hell
Tell everyone everything you know
Close a dread with a handshake
Have fun
Somebody owes Mad Karma Props to the late Senetor Everett Dirksen...
sfbags (aka Waterfield Designs) has some really nice, customizable bags.
I use a sleevecase for my powerbook. The sleevecase fits the powerbook like a glove, and does a great job of protecting from bumps and scratches.
Slip the powerbook into the sleeve, and slip the sleeve into a messenger bag (or better yet, a leather version)... Perfection!
In this interview from February, SCO themselves claimed the ABI code was GPLd:
MozillaQuest Magazine: Regarding binfmt_coff, abi-util, lcall7, abi-svr4, abi-sco; are any of these modules SCO IP?
Blake Stowell: No, none of the code in the Linux ABI modules contains SCO IP. This code is under the GPL and it re-implements publicly documented interfaces. We do not have an issue with the Linux ABI modules. The IP that we are licensing is all in the shared libraries - these libraries are needed by many OpenServer applications *in addition* to the Linux ABI.
So now it's clear: SCO intends to argue that the so-called "viral" nature of the GPL makes it 'unconstituational' (whatever that means).
By McBride's reckoning, the GPL deprives creators of their right to profit from their creations if they incorporate GPL'd code into their creation.
SCO have made reference to the GPL "virus" in previous (nonsensical) claims that the GPL would prevent, e.g., a brokerage firm from 'distributing' an application that uses GPL code internally within the company.
Utterly. Barking. Mad.
Finding ways to exploit parallelism and hide memory latency are important problems in processor design, and definitely interesting stuff, my counter-sarcasm notwithstanding.
> The Clearspeed chip is simply vaporware.
> Coming in 2005, the second generation of [Sun's] technology will offer 15 times the performance of current Ultrasparc IIIi technology
According to Sun's press release, they will release hardware in "2005/2006" that is "expected" to increase throughput by 15 times for "Web, application serving, simple databases".
> Vaporware
"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
There are two distinct groups developing and commercializing similar technology.
The previously-posted story was about a walk-thru screen developed at Tampere University of Technology, Finland, demonstrated at SIGGRAPH 2003, which is being commercialized by FogScreen, Inc.
In the current story, the technology was developed at MIT, demonstrated for the media, and is being commercialized by IO2 Technology".
Both systems appear to use a particle wall or sheet, onto which video is projected. Neither is anywhere close to "holographic," so I'm afraid those late-night session "learning Vulcan" with Virtual T'Pol are still a few years off.
> I hope the EFF/RedHat/IBM steps up and looks after the first person they try to sue.
I assume that this is exactly what SCO wants.
1) SCO sues IBM customer(s)
2) IBM customer turns to IBM, saying "this is your fault, not ours"
3) IBM, seeing where this is going, indemnifies their customers
4) SCO files hail-Mary lawsuit for one zillion dollars against all of IBM's (indemnified) customers, hoping the added financial risk will bring IBM to the buyout table
The legal system is imperfect, and there is always some chance that a judge or jury will simply Get It Wrong.
SCO knows that the best way to get IBM to settle is to make their potential loss so great that it's not worth taking the chance of having a non-technical judge & jury decide the case. Suing IBM's customers as a means of drawing IBM in deeper is exactly what SCO is trying to accomplish.
While optimized for graphics, GPUs can indeed be used as general-purpose processors. GPUs are effectively stream processors, a class of devices whose architecture and programming model make then particularly efficient for scientific calculation.
> It might take a real long time, but it is a general purpose processor and so can process anything
The same holds true for GPUs. Like CPUs, they are turing complete.
Steve Albini wrote a classic article, The Problem with Music, on the financial shenagins pulled by the record industry.
The article demonstrates how a band can manage to generate millions of dollars of profit for a label, but still owe the label money.
The article includes sample figures that indicate 'recording costs' of $150,000, and a wholesale price of $6.50 per CD (circa 1994, when the article was first published).
Hi again, John!
Thanks again for the friendly advice -- rest assured that I will strive daily to live up to your expert, obviously superior standard of humor in the future!
Not that I'm particularly keen on the continued flogging of this already-dead horse, but dictionary.com defines "investment" as:
1. The act of investing.
2. An amount invested.
3. Property or another possession acquired for future financial return or benefit.
4. A commitment, as of time or support.
5. A military siege.
6. Archaic.
a. A garment; a vestment.
b. An outer covering or layer.
and provides a primary definition of "invest":
1. To commit (money or capital) in order to gain a financial return
Thanks again, and best of luck in the new year with your surly, superior attitude!
And a fine Sunday morning to you, too, John!
An 'investment' is most often defined as something acquired for future financial gain. Some typical examples include, stocks, bonds, real estate, antiques, precious metals, commodity futures, and certificates of deposit. I have owned most of these items at some point in my life.
Some people also consider property acquired for other, more general future 'benefit' to be an investment. In this case, one might consider CDs, DVDs, posters of Pamela Anderson Lee, and boxes of twinkies "investments". I have also owned most of these items (OK, all but the poster -- Pamela Lee never really did it for me) at some point in my life.
You say that "anything that you put money into for use" is an investment. I'm not one to tell a man what words he can or cannot use -- nay, I applaud your plucky daring-do, and wish you well with your portfoliio of shampoo, razor blades, and odor-eaters!
> DVDs and CDs present value when they have good re-play ability. After all, they are an INVESTMENT.
I couldn't agree more -- CDs and DVDs are a great investment!
I bought 10000 shares of "Oops, I did It Again" at $4.99, and now it's trading at $7.50. Now if only the Republicans will force through that capital gains tax cut this year, I'll be rich!
My brother, on the other hand, lost everything by shorting "Genie In a Bottle" last year. Now he's reduced to dabbling in penny CD's from the cut-out bin. Be careful out there.
> the 9xxx cards were designed with DirectX 9.x in mind
That may have been the case with the 8xxx series, but it's not the case any more.
The Radeon 9000, for example, does not support DirectX 9 (only 8.1).
> I don't think anything's that cut and dried when you're talking millions of dollars
The strange thing is that the dispute is apparently not about millions of dollars.
According to Kmart, the sale includes one server license and 25 desktop licenses.
Heck, my little brother downloads more dollars' worth of mp3s than that every week.
> Dr. Mercola [mercola.com], a naturopathic doctor out of Chicago, also has many good articles about the possible causes of austism.
Like my grandma always said, "you'll never go wrong with a Doctor sells 'superfood' that will 'optimize your weight' and 'improve your detoxification system' on his website."
> As an investor, I'd be buying. Things are cheap
The S&P 500, as a group, has a price to earnings ratio of more than 30.
The historical average is 15.
The S&P dividend yield is approximately 1.5 The historical average is approximately 4.5.
Some people claim that you can't use p-to-e, dividiend yields, price-to-book, or any of the time-proven methods of valuing stocks any more. "This time, things are different!" they cry.
That refrain certainly sounds famililar... And it sounded familiar in the late 1920's as well.
Yes, stocks are certainly cheaper than they were a year ago. But they're definitely not "cheap"!
A two-fold increase in two years would be pathetic -- worse than Moore's law.
Now, a two order of magnitude increase, which is what John referred to, is another matter altogether...
Yes, it's surprising, but a horizontal resolution of 2k or so is more than adequate for most 35mm film work.
By the time you factor in multigeneration prints, film grain, sprocket jitter, and old, dirty lenses -- all of which essentially blur the resulting images -- the effective resolution of the system at your local multiplex is pretty pathetic.
There's a pretty good thread on the subject here.
> But imagine downloading Toy Story 3 or something to your PC... not as a pre-rendered movie, but as a real-time scripted 3D engine with a soundtrack.
That's also not likely to happen anytime soon.
Rendering a film is very much an exercise in data compression. Many terabytes of texture, geometric models, animation scripts, background plates, and simulation data go into a typical Pixar/PDI/Square/Blue Sky production.
Furthermore, it is very often the case that the production takes advantage of the fact that the camera location and movement are locked down as art and other assets are being created. 2D background 'flats' and other 2D effects are a great way to save time and money.
All that goes out the window if the end user is free to fly around in Ghost mode like some spectral Michael Ballhaus.
> How does the equation change when you consider the resolution used for each animated frame (of Toy Story), and resolutions that are common in the gaming arena?
Not a lot.
Toy Story was rendered at approx 1536 x 922, only 8% more pixels than 1280 x 1024.