No, actually they do it as a homework assignment, as a lab assignment in a sophmore level CS class.:) It was just a subset of HTML, but hey, you have to start somewhere.
It can't. The X-10 Video transmitters take Composite video and stereo audio inputs, which means you need a tuner (VCR, cable box, etc) with RCA jacks. The quality is okay (roughly between VHS and broadcast), but not great. And it also is an excellent microwave-in-use indicator (lots of static), and there are reports of it clobbering other 2.4 Ghz devices (Phones, 802.11b).
If at all possible, wire is a much better solution.
Ummm.. try hooking your computer up to something like the (old, but servicable) 52 inch big screen TV at my parents house. At 800x600 (prime DVD resolution) component video gives extremely jagged diagonal lines with some sort of ringing effect (like anti-aliasing) whereas S-VIDEO gave a much, much sharper picture. Mind you, I wouldn't use the TV for doing anything BUT watch videos on it, but for that I would much rather use the higher bandwidth connection.
Well, at least in Windows there is some documentation. Compare the amount of documentation in Windows to Linux. Also, most people look to the how-tos to do something in linux, not the accompanying documentation with the program.
Riiight. Okay, box check. Open that nice new Win98 package. See the manual? A 50-page glossy book with lots of pictures and very little content. Now try a retail release of RedHat or Suse or something. You get something that actually tells you how to use the software, rather than convince you to buy a For Dummies (tm) or (GASP) Microsoft Press book telling you how to use it.
No idea.. but if someone WAS running one and left it open, then someone could pour a lot of spam through it. ISPs do this fairly often, search for Public News Servers. They usually don't stay open long, once they figure out why the machine is thrashing so badly and eating up all the bandwidth:)
Well, port 119 is the default port for a usenet server. I'm guessing it's related to the threated Usenet Death Sentence (or something like that) from a few months ago.
Actually, I made the unstated assumption that the article mentioned--your old program disks go bad, etc. Sure, this would require you to be rather foolish (running an old program off of your one copy of the disk) but it isn't entirely impossible.
Also, I'm not sure that it's a valid excuse to break the law--I just think that it's not immediately obvious that retrieving data through abandonware should be illegal.
Consider that many programs use a "Key" disk or other form of copy protection, this isn't farfetched. Or what happens to a dongled program when the dongle dies and the publisher won't send you a new one?
Or are you going to say it's their own fault for using software that requires a dongle or key disk?
I think it's more like Copy II PC back on my old 8088. A lot of software relied on key disks back then (much like CDs today, but less durable). I used it to make backups of the key disks because it was an extreme hassle (and often impossible) to get replacement disks (especially as the software got older). However, Copy II PC could just as easily be used to make a copy for a friend.
The speedup of the HotSync time by using USB instead of serial is negligible. My serial sync takes about 1.5 minutes, downloading of four fairly large AvantGo channels over dialup included. On the other hand, USB synchronizing is not supported under Windows 2000, and may be flakey elsewhere. The serial cradles are extra.
Ahhem. The USB worked fine under Win2k with my roommate's machine and Visor Deluxe back in March or April.
We need a PDA / phone / walkman / etc. where all the phone / walkman/etc. features are *software*, i.e. it's got a sound card, speakers, microphone, and a cell network IO antenna, but the phone lives in the software. Why is this so importent? There is no way that the PDA / cell phone development groups can imagine the possible uses of their devices. The only way to really push the devices is to allow open source style adjusting of the software. Plus, people would add good encryption to the phone's.
The problem with this approach is that ASICs and DSPs can solve specific problems with lower power consumption and transistor usage (and thus cost) that can a generic CPU. Admittably it's not as upgradable, but it is much more efficient.
Usually, they are fairly timely. Generally, the start time is stated time + N*30secs for additional commercials. Most programs also have a break after the theme song. It's very rare to have it start before the stated time.
The main exception to this is the network channels that carry live sporting events will often keep the sporting event on if it runs overtime, even if it means clobbering the better shows that come on later:)
Robert Heinlein book, Orphans of the Sky. Boy's magazine type book, pretty short. Obliquely referenced in Time Enough for Love, and a few other books. Fairly hard to come by; hasn't been reprinted in a while.
Oddly enough, it's listed as a collection of short stories in the Robert A Heinlein FAQ.. ah well, I haven't read it in over 10 years, guess I'm wrong. Could've sworn it was a straight-through novel.
It's not the email that's driving it, it's the short message service (SMS). Think not in terms of your email client, think of messaging services like AIM, or ICQ. That's where the buzz is at.
SMS-type services are available here.. skytell has them on pagers, Nextell and most other cell-phones include them as well. My main problem with them is attempting to use a 10-12 key keypad to write in a language with 26 letters and puntuation. Toss in a QWERTY keyboard like a few of the flip open-horizontally phones (or a touchpad like the palms) and it'd be a lot more practical. Why type at 2-5 wpm when you can talk at 80?
Read the article.. It's not a hardware clone, it's a software emulator. Besides, where would we be right now without the original PC cloners?
Perhaps paying Big Blue for a box that requires one to reinforce their desk (seriously.. I had to move an old IBM AT recently.. the Keyboard weighed 10 lbs, the monitor 75, the CPU 60..)
After all, just because you couldn't get drivers for your ATI TV tuner cards in Linux doesn't mean you don't have a TV sitting around somewhere to watch.
Umm.. look at the Gatos project on freshmeat. Capture isn't there yet, (requires either X support or a kernel driver; current plan is an Xv module).
Just as an aside, I tried both the beta and the "stable" version, and I must say the beta version actually took quite a bit longer to crash. I could be my 2000 setup (many programs just aren't happy), but iFilmEdit still works better for MPEG-1 editing (and I hear the newer versions support MPEG-2).
If you're purchasing a Spacely Hammer Deal, which lists plainly on the card in front of you includes one (1) hammer and one (1) subscription to the Nail of the Month club (with a recurring cost of $5,000/month) for one low hardware cost of $5, then yes, you should expect that. That's what you bought.
That's NOT what he bought. He (and several other posters) bought the machine WITHOUT INTERNET SERVICE, and that was what they were told they would get. It doesn't matter if they changed the policy after he bought it; the terms of sale at the time of sale were clear.
HIS problem is that Netpliance did not (allegedly) honor the special arrangements the salesperson set up for him (to delay billing of the ISP service). In all likelyhood, this occurred because of this: At the time, ISP service did not begin until after the unit was first connected and used with a telephone line. Upon its initial dial-out, it subscribed the user to the ISP service. The salesperson knew this, and told him it would not be a problem and he would not be billed for ISP service. A policy change at Netpliance moved the "start" date for ISP users to the 2nd day after the order was shipped. This "start date" was not part of any contract. The fact that they told him one thing and did another is simply POOR BUSINESS, and is in no way illegal or even (in the big picture, seeing how this guy is trying to rip them off just like the rest of us using these i-openers for cheap Linux installations) what I would consider unethical.
Charging for goods and services not authorized by the consumer and/or retroactive change of contract (even if it's a verbal contract) are illegal in all the jurisdictions I know of. (IANAL, blah blah). He specifically purchased it as a gift, so that while he would pay the hardware fee, his brother would pay the monthly fee.
He has grounds to write them a letter, ask for a refund, sure, but this is hardly something to get Slashdot kiddies worked up over. They're certainly not "slamming" or "cramming" or whatever the term is. They've stated up front that they bill for ISP service, and in this ONE specific case, they ended up going through with it despite (alleged) special arrangements. I say "alleged" because I imagine the conversation was more for "confirmation" that their current ISP policy is not to bill immediately, not, as the submitter claims, an explicit assurance by the salesperson that he would not be billed for ISP service *at all*.
Irrelevent. At the time of sale, the contract (vocal or implied) was for the i-opener plus shipping fee, period. Changing the policy at a later date and retroactively applying it to earlier sales is illegal. Whether it is worth the legal fees and/or hassles for ~$20, is another matter entirely.
>I'm sure someone can purchase those specs to >create their own player if they'd like, but no >one will.
Considering Sorenson has been contacted and says that Apple will not allow them to license the codec to others, this is extremely debatable. The only way to view these these media files is via Quicktime.
Slashdot Mirror
Don't download this patch, it is not the real 2.4-prerelease to final patch. Get (from appropriate mirror) 2.4/test-kernels/prerelease-to-final.bz2
No, actually they do it as a homework assignment, as a lab assignment in a sophmore level CS class. :) It was just a subset of HTML, but hey, you have to start somewhere.
No, it's just that the tape inputs would probably kill people if sped up, even on today's faster designs :)
It can't. The X-10 Video transmitters take Composite video and stereo audio inputs, which means you need a tuner (VCR, cable box, etc) with RCA jacks. The quality is okay (roughly between VHS and broadcast), but not great. And it also is an excellent microwave-in-use indicator (lots of static), and there are reports of it clobbering other 2.4 Ghz devices (Phones, 802.11b).
If at all possible, wire is a much better solution.
Doh! I should have not tried to read slashdot before achieving consciousness.
Ummm.. try hooking your computer up to something like the (old, but servicable) 52 inch big screen TV at my parents house. At 800x600 (prime DVD resolution) component video gives extremely jagged diagonal lines with some sort of ringing effect (like anti-aliasing) whereas S-VIDEO gave a much, much sharper picture. Mind you, I wouldn't use the TV for doing anything BUT watch videos on it, but for that I would much rather use the higher bandwidth connection.
I thought someone found a copy of it, with the second verse, from a date that makes the entire song in the public domain. Iawm archive
Riiight. Okay, box check. Open that nice new Win98 package. See the manual? A 50-page glossy book with lots of pictures and very little content. Now try a retail release of RedHat or Suse or something. You get something that actually tells you how to use the software, rather than convince you to buy a For Dummies (tm) or (GASP) Microsoft Press book telling you how to use it.
No idea.. but if someone WAS running one and left it open, then someone could pour a lot of spam through it. ISPs do this fairly often, search for Public News Servers. They usually don't stay open long, once they figure out why the machine is thrashing so badly and eating up all the bandwidth :)
Well, port 119 is the default port for a usenet server. I'm guessing it's related to the threated Usenet Death Sentence (or something like that) from a few months ago.
I've done this with a computer when I was in dorms.. a really slow lab can be dramatically improved with Real Encoder or an ASF encoder and VNC.
For labs that require attention, winamp + icecast works quite well (tunneling is better, especially with VBR mp3s.)
Consider that many programs use a "Key" disk or other form of copy protection, this isn't farfetched. Or what happens to a dongled program when the dongle dies and the publisher won't send you a new one?
Or are you going to say it's their own fault for using software that requires a dongle or key disk?
I think it's more like Copy II PC back on my old 8088. A lot of software relied on key disks back then (much like CDs today, but less durable). I used it to make backups of the key disks because it was an extreme hassle (and often impossible) to get replacement disks (especially as the software got older). However, Copy II PC could just as easily be used to make a copy for a friend.
Anyone remember this?
Ahhem. The USB worked fine under Win2k with my roommate's machine and Visor Deluxe back in March or April.
Don't spread FUD.
The problem with this approach is that ASICs and DSPs can solve specific problems with lower power consumption and transistor usage (and thus cost) that can a generic CPU. Admittably it's not as upgradable, but it is much more efficient.
Usually, they are fairly timely. Generally, the start time is stated time + N*30secs for additional commercials. Most programs also have a break after the theme song. It's very rare to have it start before the stated time.
:)
The main exception to this is the network channels that carry live sporting events will often keep the sporting event on if it runs overtime, even if it means clobbering the better shows that come on later
Robert Heinlein book, Orphans of the Sky. Boy's magazine type book, pretty short. Obliquely referenced in Time Enough for Love, and a few other books. Fairly hard to come by; hasn't been reprinted in a while.
Oddly enough, it's listed as a collection of short stories in the Robert A Heinlein FAQ.. ah well, I haven't read it in over 10 years, guess I'm wrong. Could've sworn it was a straight-through novel.
SMS-type services are available here.. skytell has them on pagers, Nextell and most other cell-phones include them as well. My main problem with them is attempting to use a 10-12 key keypad to write in a language with 26 letters and puntuation. Toss in a QWERTY keyboard like a few of the flip open-horizontally phones (or a touchpad like the palms) and it'd be a lot more practical. Why type at 2-5 wpm when you can talk at 80?
White Wolf
Trinity
Read the article.. It's not a hardware clone, it's a software emulator. Besides, where would we be right now without the original PC cloners?
Perhaps paying Big Blue for a box that requires one to reinforce their desk (seriously.. I had to move an old IBM AT recently.. the Keyboard weighed 10 lbs, the monitor 75, the CPU 60..)
Umm.. look at the Gatos project on freshmeat. Capture isn't there yet, (requires either X support or a kernel driver; current plan is an Xv module).
Last I heard he was in the middle of moving.. kernel hacking is difficult when most of one's equipment is in boxes..
Just as an aside, I tried both the beta and the "stable" version, and I must say the beta version actually took quite a bit longer to crash. I could be my 2000 setup (many programs just aren't happy), but iFilmEdit still works better for MPEG-1 editing (and I hear the newer versions support MPEG-2).
>I'm sure someone can purchase those specs to >create their own player if they'd like, but no
>one will.
Considering Sorenson has been contacted and says that Apple will not allow them to license the codec to others, this is extremely debatable. The only way to view these these media files is via Quicktime.