... or is anyone else HIGHLY suspicious of all of the Open Source.NET ports and implementations that are being PUSHED^H^H^H^H^H^H^H DISCOVERED as of late?
Call me a cynic, but I think we'd be naive to think that MSFT would be "above" placing shill Open Source projects in the marketplace. Hell, if I were them I would hire extremely gifted up-and-comer's, make them sign NDA's, and give them exclusive access to API's/system calls/etc. so that they can create the "premier" Open-Source implementation of [whatever new] MSFT technology (.NET, etc). Their direct benefit of this kind of tactic would be a MSFT controlled industry adoption rate (slow code releases vs. rapid ones).
I'll admit that this news item probably isn't the best place to post this opinion, but I've earned my Karma and I think it's a point that should be raised, none-the-less. Moderate as necessary.
I don't doubt the authenticity of this project and I'd love to see it succeed if it's indeed legitimate. However, in the new-world-order of software patents, etc; I can't help but be cynical with regard to ANY software package that integrates with PATENTED [MSFT] technology.
The parent post is actually one of the most insightful posts that I've read on/. as of late.
The very fact that DRM "consumes valuable resources" and doesn't provide an IMMEDIATE payoff will, by definition, lead to the corporate worlds de-railment of it. The corporate world has a nasty habit of wanting PERFORMANCE AND PROTECTION while simultaneously subverting "valid" methods of attaining this goal (ie: Clean, Secure, and Safe code, etc). Most corporations want more, but aren't willing to pay for it. As a result, they have no choice but to assault our basic consumer rights (and civil liberties) via their lobbyists in Washington.
Your post hits the nail on the head - much like digital music, the GENIE is out of the bottle. DRM could fail because it will require a performance hit that the corporate world probably isn't willing to take.
Here in Atlanta, GA, USA the motorized bikes are becoming quite trendy. Heck, even Vespa's are becoming popular.
I'm pretty sure that with Atlanta being one of the top 3 cities with the worst traffic problem in the US is probably a factor in their increased adoption rate.
What per chance would lead you to the conclusion that a "single" standard is a "proprietary solution"?
Are you paranoid?
The proposed solutions are [for the most part] standards based and they're also "open" in nature.
Personally, I'm going to orient my servers toward the IETF/Marid standard; but you have the "freedom" to choose and implement whichever standard you choose.
The fact that a pseduo-"standard" is being settled on in this realm is progress (in my opinion).
The difference is that Debian is a trusted source. Anyone can get a certificate. The point being that being "trusted" and "accountable" are 2 different things. You'd have to bring a lawsuit or otherwise litigate against someone that caused damage to your install. The fact that you can track the person makes it easier to seek damages, however, it doesn't make them a "trusted" source by any stretch.
Wrong! Belive it or not, people are going out of their way to inform the public about Kerry. This guy thinks that John Kerry is a Douche Bag, but he's going to vote for him anyway (as are most people that I've talked to): http://www.johnkerryisadouchebagbutimvotingforhima nyway.com/
In a world where EVIL is actually hurting everyday citizens (and the global ecosystem), the lesser of 2 evils actually becomes quite relevant.
Our civil rights and our VERY democracy are on the line in 5 months people.
I've seen a lot of electronics websites, but I still can't seem to determine the relationship between Watts and Amps. I know that Amps are Current and I know what 20Amps is (and feels like). However, I'm very unsure of how you'd convert that to 240 watts. Every time I google for it, or try an E/I*R equation I just come with confusion.
I've found that the best way to get over laziness is to set a goal for myself for the next day. I do this when I go to bed at night and when the day arrives, I just feel more motivated. I've also found that the less sleep I get, the more motivated I am. If I wake up at 11AM on a Saturday, I'll just kind of slough around the house (thinking about doing all kinds of stuff, but not actually doing it). However, if I get up early, I seem to have much more energy (when I do finally get going) and get a lot more done in the day (I don't mean relatively; my premise is based on days with equal # of awake hours).
I have a theory that all of this "extra" energy could be of consequence later in life (shorter lifespan maybe?), but I have no way to quantify something like that; so I won't speculate.
I'm just pointing out my own first hand experiences - as always, YMMV.
Agreed. Just like paying for things with credit cards is optional. Unless it's plane tickets, rental cars, guns (in some locales), etc...
Optional can quickly becomes a grey area. There are few things you can do functionally in society without proper ID, a bank account, a check/VISA card.
For example, you can't cash a check in most large cities if you don't have a bank account (either there or at another branch). Heck, here in Atlanta I've been told that I couldn't CHANGE CURRENCY because I didn't have an account at that bank (I was trying to get change for a $20 bill).
If OPTIONAL is TRULY Optional (like you mentioned), I agree with you 100%. But what is TRULY OPTIONAL now, could easily become mandatory in the future (ala Sept. 11th / Patriot Act).
Only the "fittest" files will survive on these networks. As a result, it amuses me to see these guys try and put bogus files out there. They almost instantly die in the wild when people rank them as bogus.
I haven't seen any practical OLED apps, and if this is one of them consider me sold on the technology.
Also, it's worth mentioning that my agency did a fingerprint analysis on the user in the picture and our results have conclusively indicated that she is in fact:
A NATALIE PORTMAN CLONE!!! We knew it was possible!
Would you guys QUIT with the Prior Art references? There is a much bigger issue here. The fact that prior art EXISTS is significantly different from "because prior art exists our community is safe from patent execution".
The bottom line is this: If MSFT send thier attack dog lawyers against YOUR code/project they will win. The reason they will win is that: a) YOU/your team DOESN'T have the resources to litigate patents (IP Law is a VERY EXPENSIVE industry) - trust me, you'll lose and close your project and replace it with a sad web page that reads "due to legal restraints, we can no longer continue development on ZZZZZZZ".
b) if you DO try to litigate and use Prior Art as an example, be prepared to sink Tens if not Hundreds of thousands of dollars to protect your open-source project.
Sadly, there is a much bigger issue here guys, and pointing out the fact that prior art exists != to litigating it and protecting yourself or our project. With MSFT's legal team they could EASILY prove to the courts that they invented the WHEEL and that ANY PRIOR ART is irrelevant.
Consider yourselves warned... There is a very big issue here, and we need to kick things up a notch if we want open-source, GPL, BSD licenses, etc to still exist^H^H^H^H^H be PREVALENT/Relevant in the coming years.
If you think I sound like a Paul Revere, you know your history and I hope you don't let it repeat itself...... because we all know what happens to those that forget the past (or knowingly / passively ignore it).
Is the apparent increased frequency in NEOs/asteroids a result of more media coverage / awareness, or a larger issue?
Maybe I'm being naive here because I've seen too many movies, but don't most metor showers / asteroid belt "entries" begin with a few close calls, followed by a few "minor impacts", and then a total BARRAGE of hits?
If it's not obvious, I'm just a 3rd party observer and I'm highly uneducated/informed about matters of astronomy (and astrology).
However, I'm concerned by the recent frequency of near-earth misses that have been reported. Are they just being reported more often because we have better technology now, and can discover them easier; or is the report frequency actually _increasing_?
If the latter, wouldn't a higher frequency of "near-misses" signify a BFIP (Big Friggin Inevitable Problem!?)...
You're incredibly naive to think that if this technology is allowed to succeed it won't pervade your precious "late model" HDTV unit/vendor. Product vendors are slaves to the content. Content providers are puppet masters to the artists that provide the content. The only solution is for the artists (actors, musicians, etc) to realise their value, band together, and trump the "existing" distribution outlets by coming up with a better method of bringing their wares to the masses.
THE ARTISTS ARE THE CREATORS of the CONTENT that we value. Why are we paying "distributors" a premuim for "organizing" the media that we enjoy?!
The only solution to this a grass-roots artists/providers group that will bring content DIRECTLY to the consumers in a way that is a) financially beneficial to both the provider and the distributor; and b) not using existing bastardized media distribution methods (ie, TV, FM Radio, etc).
With all due respect, I'm assuming your friend didn't do anything "significant" on the web. I can't help but think that the poster asked this question in the context of people that offer projects or popular websites out to the WWW. What happens when someone like Maddox passes? It's quite likely that no one will know what his online legacy is, or furthermore how to bring an end to it.
If you have a major web "presence", I think you have a responsibility to your viewers to tell your local meatware (parent's, spouses, kids, etc) what your websites are and what the passwords are in your will.
Since the web has a reputation of hosting short attention spans, I dare say that most people wouldn't "research" a site if were/wasn't updated for a few weeks or more. Particularly, sites that only update every week or two will fall into the ether if their owner dies and doesn't leave a "living will" or some other form of notification to its fans.
There are a few websites that will send an email if you don't respond every month or so, saything that you're deceased... maybe someone should create one that webmasters can join and if they don't check in after X months/years it will send an email to all of it's visitors saying that it is likely that the owner/webmaster is deceased.
Alternatively, you could build a quick perl/php robot that submits very controversial articles/content after you're deceased. You could change your stance on issues and offer viewpoints that you wouldn't ordinarily take. Heh. updates like this could continue on as long as your server bill was paid...
Someone should create a distributed client (like SETI@home or something) that sends "clicks" to these places and cuts the person a portion of the payments in the form of micropayments or something.
As for India doing this en-masse - let them. If they want to enter a dot-com boom like the US/Europe had in the 90's, let them learn the hard way. I think I'll open an investment account in India and I'll buy low and sell high again. This time, however, I'll be sure to bail early on and not ride the wave up to $100/per share stocks for things like furniture.com.
In this way, they can have my outsourced job, and I can profit from it by being a Day Trader all over again.
Slashdot Mirror
Call me a cynic, but I think we'd be naive to think that MSFT would be "above" placing shill Open Source projects in the marketplace. Hell, if I were them I would hire extremely gifted up-and-comer's, make them sign NDA's, and give them exclusive access to API's/system calls/etc. so that they can create the "premier" Open-Source implementation of [whatever new] MSFT technology (.NET, etc). Their direct benefit of this kind of tactic would be a MSFT controlled industry adoption rate (slow code releases vs. rapid ones).
I'll admit that this news item probably isn't the best place to post this opinion, but I've earned my Karma and I think it's a point that should be raised, none-the-less. Moderate as necessary.
I don't doubt the authenticity of this project and I'd love to see it succeed if it's indeed legitimate. However, in the new-world-order of software patents, etc; I can't help but be cynical with regard to ANY software package that integrates with PATENTED [MSFT] technology.
The parent post is actually one of the most insightful posts that I've read on /. as of late.
The very fact that DRM "consumes valuable resources" and doesn't provide an IMMEDIATE payoff will, by definition, lead to the corporate worlds de-railment of it. The corporate world has a nasty habit of wanting PERFORMANCE AND PROTECTION while simultaneously subverting "valid" methods of attaining this goal (ie: Clean, Secure, and Safe code, etc). Most corporations want more, but aren't willing to pay for it. As a result, they have no choice but to assault our basic consumer rights (and civil liberties) via their lobbyists in Washington.
Your post hits the nail on the head - much like digital music, the GENIE is out of the bottle. DRM could fail because it will require a performance hit that the corporate world probably isn't willing to take.
Here in Atlanta, GA, USA the motorized bikes are becoming quite trendy. Heck, even Vespa's are becoming popular.
I'm pretty sure that with Atlanta being one of the top 3 cities with the worst traffic problem in the US is probably a factor in their increased adoption rate.
What per chance would lead you to the conclusion that a "single" standard is a "proprietary solution"?
Are you paranoid?
The proposed solutions are [for the most part] standards based and they're also "open" in nature.
Personally, I'm going to orient my servers toward the IETF/Marid standard; but you have the "freedom" to choose and implement whichever standard you choose.
The fact that a pseduo-"standard" is being settled on in this realm is progress (in my opinion).
The difference is that Debian is a trusted source. Anyone can get a certificate. The point being that being "trusted" and "accountable" are 2 different things. You'd have to bring a lawsuit or otherwise litigate against someone that caused damage to your install. The fact that you can track the person makes it easier to seek damages, however, it doesn't make them a "trusted" source by any stretch.
Wrong! Belive it or not, people are going out of their way to inform the public about Kerry. This guy thinks that John Kerry is a Douche Bag, but he's going to vote for him anyway (as are most people that I've talked to): http://www.johnkerryisadouchebagbutimvotingforhima nyway.com/
In a world where EVIL is actually hurting everyday citizens (and the global ecosystem), the lesser of 2 evils actually becomes quite relevant.
Our civil rights and our VERY democracy are on the line in 5 months people.
"No one died when Clinton lied".
-unknown
"Let's re-UNelect Bush in 2004!"
-unknown
This would be a useful item to offshore. Anyone care to put up a mirror of the current page before the Google cache updates?
... because they have a degree! They're too smart to get caught!
Nevermind, I just regoogled (Hey, I just invented a new word in the process) and found my answer.
I've seen a lot of electronics websites, but I still can't seem to determine the relationship between Watts and Amps. I know that Amps are Current and I know what 20Amps is (and feels like). However, I'm very unsure of how you'd convert that to 240 watts. Every time I google for it, or try an E/I*R equation I just come with confusion.
How did you know that 20A == 240 watts?
This is what can happen when a gadget-freak has a paranoid girlfriend...
Translation:
The lengths a paranoid gadget-freak will go to protect his only girlfriend ever.
(parent - I'm just joking; your post is very insightful)
I've found that the best way to get over laziness is to set a goal for myself for the next day. I do this when I go to bed at night and when the day arrives, I just feel more motivated. I've also found that the less sleep I get, the more motivated I am. If I wake up at 11AM on a Saturday, I'll just kind of slough around the house (thinking about doing all kinds of stuff, but not actually doing it). However, if I get up early, I seem to have much more energy (when I do finally get going) and get a lot more done in the day (I don't mean relatively; my premise is based on days with equal # of awake hours).
I have a theory that all of this "extra" energy could be of consequence later in life (shorter lifespan maybe?), but I have no way to quantify something like that; so I won't speculate.
I'm just pointing out my own first hand experiences - as always, YMMV.
Agreed. Just like paying for things with credit cards is optional. Unless it's plane tickets, rental cars, guns (in some locales), etc...
Optional can quickly becomes a grey area. There are few things you can do functionally in society without proper ID, a bank account, a check/VISA card.
For example, you can't cash a check in most large cities if you don't have a bank account (either there or at another branch). Heck, here in Atlanta I've been told that I couldn't CHANGE CURRENCY because I didn't have an account at that bank (I was trying to get change for a $20 bill).
If OPTIONAL is TRULY Optional (like you mentioned), I agree with you 100%. But what is TRULY OPTIONAL now, could easily become mandatory in the future (ala Sept. 11th / Patriot Act).
I for one, hope that more information gets posted about this. I think that embedded systems could benefit significantly from this.
IANAL, but I believe you are allowed to bring an assistant into the booth if you so choose.
Just out of curiosity, why would you have to be a Lawyer to know if you are allowed to bring an assistant into a voting booth?
... Gym.
Only the "fittest" files will survive on these networks. As a result, it amuses me to see these guys try and put bogus files out there. They almost instantly die in the wild when people rank them as bogus.
When will they learn?
I think the inconvenience that RFID is trying to solve is that silly little thing called "Civil Rights".
It's not at all inconvenient to me, however, it appears to be an inconvenience to the government.
Just look what AP exams did for Pascal!
I got a 4 on mine (I think) and it was [Turbo] Pascal based.
I did, however learn a LOT about functional programming - most of which I'm trying to forget so I can learn OOP style programming.
... assuming it's real and not vaporware.
I haven't seen any practical OLED apps, and if this is one of them consider me sold on the technology.
Also, it's worth mentioning that my agency did a fingerprint analysis on the user in the picture and our results have conclusively indicated that she is in fact:
A NATALIE PORTMAN CLONE!!! We knew it was possible!
Amen brothers!
Would you guys QUIT with the Prior Art references? There is a much bigger issue here. The fact that prior art EXISTS is significantly different from "because prior art exists our community is safe from patent execution".
... because we all know what happens to those that forget the past (or knowingly / passively ignore it).
The bottom line is this: If MSFT send thier attack dog lawyers against YOUR code/project they will win. The reason they will win is that:
a) YOU/your team DOESN'T have the resources to litigate patents (IP Law is a VERY EXPENSIVE industry) - trust me, you'll lose and close your project and replace it with a sad web page that reads "due to legal restraints, we can no longer continue development on ZZZZZZZ".
b) if you DO try to litigate and use Prior Art as an example, be prepared to sink Tens if not Hundreds of thousands of dollars to protect your open-source project.
Sadly, there is a much bigger issue here guys, and pointing out the fact that prior art exists != to litigating it and protecting yourself or our project. With MSFT's legal team they could EASILY prove to the courts that they invented the WHEEL and that ANY PRIOR ART is irrelevant.
Consider yourselves warned... There is a very big issue here, and we need to kick things up a notch if we want open-source, GPL, BSD licenses, etc to still exist^H^H^H^H^H be PREVALENT/Relevant in the coming years.
If you think I sound like a Paul Revere, you know your history and I hope you don't let it repeat itself...
Is the apparent increased frequency in NEOs/asteroids a result of more media coverage / awareness, or a larger issue?
Maybe I'm being naive here because I've seen too many movies, but don't most metor showers / asteroid belt "entries" begin with a few close calls, followed by a few "minor impacts", and then a total BARRAGE of hits?
If it's not obvious, I'm just a 3rd party observer and I'm highly uneducated/informed about matters of astronomy (and astrology).
However, I'm concerned by the recent frequency of near-earth misses that have been reported. Are they just being reported more often because we have better technology now, and can discover them easier; or is the report frequency actually _increasing_?
If the latter, wouldn't a higher frequency of "near-misses" signify a BFIP (Big Friggin Inevitable Problem!?)...
You're incredibly naive to think that if this technology is allowed to succeed it won't pervade your precious "late model" HDTV unit/vendor. Product vendors are slaves to the content. Content providers are puppet masters to the artists that provide the content. The only solution is for the artists (actors, musicians, etc) to realise their value, band together, and trump the "existing" distribution outlets by coming up with a better method of bringing their wares to the masses.
THE ARTISTS ARE THE CREATORS of the CONTENT that we value. Why are we paying "distributors" a premuim for "organizing" the media that we enjoy?!
The only solution to this a grass-roots artists/providers group that will bring content DIRECTLY to the consumers in a way that is a) financially beneficial to both the provider and the distributor; and b) not using existing bastardized media distribution methods (ie, TV, FM Radio, etc).
With all due respect, I'm assuming your friend didn't do anything "significant" on the web. I can't help but think that the poster asked this question in the context of people that offer projects or popular websites out to the WWW. What happens when someone like Maddox passes? It's quite likely that no one will know what his online legacy is, or furthermore how to bring an end to it.
If you have a major web "presence", I think you have a responsibility to your viewers to tell your local meatware (parent's, spouses, kids, etc) what your websites are and what the passwords are in your will.
Since the web has a reputation of hosting short attention spans, I dare say that most people wouldn't "research" a site if were/wasn't updated for a few weeks or more. Particularly, sites that only update every week or two will fall into the ether if their owner dies and doesn't leave a "living will" or some other form of notification to its fans.
There are a few websites that will send an email if you don't respond every month or so, saything that you're deceased... maybe someone should create one that webmasters can join and if they don't check in after X months/years it will send an email to all of it's visitors saying that it is likely that the owner/webmaster is deceased.
Alternatively, you could build a quick perl/php robot that submits very controversial articles/content after you're deceased. You could change your stance on issues and offer viewpoints that you wouldn't ordinarily take. Heh. updates like this could continue on as long as your server bill was paid...
Someone should create a distributed client (like SETI@home or something) that sends "clicks" to these places and cuts the person a portion of the payments in the form of micropayments or something.
As for India doing this en-masse - let them. If they want to enter a dot-com boom like the US/Europe had in the 90's, let them learn the hard way. I think I'll open an investment account in India and I'll buy low and sell high again. This time, however, I'll be sure to bail early on and not ride the wave up to $100/per share stocks for things like furniture.com.
In this way, they can have my outsourced job, and I can profit from it by being a Day Trader all over again.
Woo hoo!