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User: gaj

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Comments · 320

  1. Re:Does it matter? on Java to be Open Sourced in October · · Score: 1
    You moronic contrivance.

    The JRE only loads up when/if you run a Java application or Applet. I am a developer, and I have several JDKs and JREs installed on each of my machines -- not one of them has any process having to do with Java running unless I am running a Java app or applet.

    n00b.

  2. Re:A simple fix for patents on Amazon Asks Congress to Curb Patent Abusers · · Score: 1
    Nope.

    See, you're missing the point of patents. They have f'all to do with directly leading to a product, and everything to do with providing ideas that lead to even better ideas. That whole "on teh shoulders of giants" thing.

    Sure, there's little point if eventually come out of the patent system, it just makes little sense to expect a product out of each and every one.

  3. Re:"Superhero" as a trade mark? on Marvel and DC Enforce "Superhero" Trademark · · Score: 4, Informative
    While I certainly don't condone what Marvel and DC appear to be trying to do, please don't further confuse the issue, if you can at all help it.

    This had nothing at all to do with copyright. Nor is the concept being claimed here.

    It is the word "Superhero" that is being claimed as protected by trademark law. Within the letter of the law, they may have a vaild claim.

    That doesn't make them any less foul, though.

    Also, I think that much argument can be made that they have long since lost any claim to the trademark. They've not been defending it at all until now. If you don't defend a trademark, you lose it.

  4. Re:Usefulness? on AbiWord beats OpenOffice to a Grammar Checker · · Score: 1

    "The window breaks"?

  5. Re:BULLONEY!! on Java Urban Performance Legends · · Score: 1
    Certainly true. And I would never argue that Java can be smaller than or, in an absolute sense in the real world, faster than, C. Hell, I make a living programming in Java, I know what a memory hog it is. On the speed front, OTOH, very well written Java on a very well written JVM (or using a native compiler) can be competitive. Not faster, but fast enough.

    Anyway, I just wanted to point out that using a JVM intended for embedded use was appropriate when comparing on basis of space, just as you'd carefully choose your libraries when coding C in a memery sparse environment.

    As for picking my own poison, given my druthers I'd be coding in Python/Pyrex.

  6. Re:BULLONEY!! on Java Urban Performance Legends · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's not really apples to oranges to use a smaller profile JRE for creating smaller profile programs. The JRE includes libraries and features such as threading and such. Let's see you build a C program that uses pthreads and one or two major libraries and still have your memory use come in under 32K. Remember, apples to apples, right?

  7. Re:Coral cache on Java Urban Performance Legends · · Score: 1
    Do you seriously think IBM can't handle a slashdotting?

    <sigh>

    Karma whoring is so twentieth-centry.

  8. Re:How do they plan on doing this? on EU, UN to Wrestle Internet Control From US · · Score: 1
    All your points are true. None speak to my questions, at least not directly.

    Regarding those two world wars -- last I checked, we were involved, as well. Lessons were learned by all, but, at least in WWII, it wasn't "dialog" that resolved things. Frankly, it was might. It my not "equal right", but it is often necessary to protect right. Dialog means F'all when the other party is evil.

    Also, "international solutions" != UN. We *do* seek international solutions, where a) a solution is needed and b) an international one would be the best way to go, for a situationally appropriate definition of "best".

  9. Re:How do they plan on doing this? on EU, UN to Wrestle Internet Control From US · · Score: 1
    We don't need to shoot ourselves in the foot again in our relationship with the UN.
    Why?

    No, seriously. Why?

    Please enlighten us as to how our "relationship" with the UN benefits us more than it does them. Or benefits us much at all?

  10. Re:So why not... on Dell We'd Sell Mac OS X · · Score: 1

    Why should they? They ship RHEL on their systems, which costs money. I don't know what XP Pro and Win2k3 licenses go for, but I'd guess that RHEL and the equivalent Microsoft OSs are similar in price, at least as relates to cash up front.

  11. Re:Why? on GCC 4.0.0 Released · · Score: 1

    Assuming that the extension is indeed clearly defined, and assuming that they don't use software patents to "protect" said extensions, and assuming that their compiler has the option to disable said extensions or at least warn about their use and non-standard nature, then they are no more "propriety" [sic] than GNU extensions.

  12. Re:Why? on GCC 4.0.0 Released · · Score: 2, Informative
    So you're saying that the smart developers over at Microsoft can't manage to code up support for new lanugage features themselves?

    While the standards compliance of pre-.net VC++ releases (and the C99 support of *any* VC++ releases) indicate that might well be the case, I'm inclined to think that it is not.

    I think it is much more sensable to conclude from your post that you are a) confused about the GPL, b) intentionally misrepresenting the situation, c) not the sharpest knife in the drawer or d) some combination of the above.

    Putting the gcc code under GPL doesn't put the language extensions under GPL.

  13. Obligatory ... on DMCA Prevents Photoshop Support of Nikon Camera · · Score: 1

    ha ha!

  14. Re:What's next - patenting how Mom makes Hash Brow on Court Denies Smucker's PB&J Patent · · Score: 1

    That likes like chives to me.

  15. Re:Talk about exaggeration... on Java Fallout: OO.o 2.0 and the FOSS Community · · Score: 1
    That must come as a very major surprise to IBM.

    They ship a JRE for their JS20 (PPC based) systems. I don't believe they have released Java 5 for that platform yet, and don't care enough to check right now, but I just downloaded the 1.4.2 packages the other day for use in a version of our product that must support JS20.

  16. Re:Is it entirely MS's fault? on Microsoft Seeks Latitude/Longitude Patent · · Score: 1
    Regarding the PB&J patents -- cute example, but not a very good one. What is pantented is not peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but a new way of making them. In particular, PB&J slices, sort of like cheese singles.

    I hate the way the patent system is running here in the US as much as anyone (ask my coworkers who hear me bitch and whine about it all the time), and your first two examples are fine ones. But the PB&J patents are legit, if not exactly what I would call life altering.

  17. Lots of options on Video Formats for non-Windows Users? · · Score: 1
    mplayer plays WMV just fine (or as fine as possible, anyway), so, at least for Linux and *BSD on x86 and x86_64 it isn't really a problem.

    None the less, for maximum crossplatform happiness, I'd say one of MPEG, DivX or XviD would be your best bets. MPEG is most portable -- it's available every-damn-where, but is showing it's age in both file size and image quality. DivX and XviD are nearly as available, and better in virtually every aspect.

  18. Re:wrong on New Standard Keyboard · · Score: 1
    Or you could use CTRL-[, instead. If CTRL is set up where $DIETY intended it, your hands don't need to move off the home row.

    Also, long time vi users tend to edit in a "modal" manner as well. It really matches the actual use pattern during coding. You're either reading a bunch of code (in command mode), or entering a bunch of code (in insert mode) ... if you know vi even reasonably well, bouncing back and forth should be rare.

  19. Re:Innovation and open source on Tuning The Kernel With A Genetic Algorithm · · Score: 1
    Troll.

    Just repeating a lie over and over doesn't make it true.

    Cut/Copy/Paste works just ducky, and has for years. In fact, both methods of cut/paste work just ducky -- highlight/middle-click and highlight/shift-ctrl-x/shift-ctrl-v. And copy with highlight/shift-ctrl-c.

  20. Re:Cisco on Tsunami Satellite Images · · Score: 1
    Fuck that. Where the hell do you think the government gets "its" money? They're donating the people's money.

    Besides which, the current amount the govt has given is only a start ... those people will need aid for years. Add to which, we've redireced the a carrier group to the area -- that's not free you known.

    Finally, America IS NOT A NATION STATE! We're a Nation OF States. There's a big damn difference there.

    Personally, I'm proud that America (the people) has given what they have, and I think our Federal government is doing just fine so far in addressing the situation.

  21. Re:I'll have to "Check It Out" on OpenBSD Project Will Release OpenCVS · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    I kill me.
    Hmmm ...

    Apparantly it's not just humor you suck at, then.

  22. Re:no bash shell on Limitations in Current Breed of Palm Handhelds? · · Score: 1

    So use ^[ (CTRL-[) instead. It generates an ESC and, as an added bonus, doesn't require that your fingers leave normal typing position.

  23. Re:Plan Of Action on An Update on Patrick Volkerding · · Score: 3, Informative

    He said in his message that he'd gone to the Mayo Clinic. There are bigger cities than Rochester, MN, but not better clinics. Mind you, there may well be a clinic of the same caliber that has more experts in infectuous disease ... that I do not know, but just because a city is larger doesn't mean it has better facilities.

  24. Re:c'mon.... trivial prior art on Microsoft Patents 'IsNot', Enlists WTO · · Score: 1
    OK, fine then. In Java:
    String foo = "foo";
    String bar = "bar";

    if (foo != bar) then
    System.err.println(foo + " and " + bar + " are not the same entity);
    }
    How is that not prior art invalidating Claim 1 (on which all other claims are based) of their application? foo and bar are references to objects that reside at a specific place in the heap. != evaluates to true if the two references point to different objects in the heap.
  25. Re:Journalism is dead on CBS Sees no Journalism in Blogs · · Score: 1

    Yeah, I avoid the "Dear diary" style of blog like the plague. I'm more interested in blogs like lgf that have a real point of view and active regular posters.