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User: Woodrow

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  1. If this was not Microsoft... on Microsoft Patents The Body Bus · · Score: 3, Insightful

    would anyone have any objections to this patent? This patent covers a physical device made of atoms just like 100% of all patents applied for 100 years ago. I do nto agree with sofwtare patents but I do with patents covering physical devices.

  2. Re:This might be valid on Microsoft Patents The Body Bus · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    So Telsa had a portable computers and wanted to link them all? As a device this might be unique. Now there may be prior art on this subject so then it would not be unique.

  3. This might be valid on Microsoft Patents The Body Bus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is a physical device and if there is no prior art then I think this is a very valid patent.

  4. This is why they have patents!!!! on Tornado in a Can · · Score: 1

    All I will say is that this is a perfect example of why the patent process was created and still exists. This is so ingenious. I would love to see the machine in action.

  5. Sounds like the Thopters from Dune on Fanwing Planes? · · Score: 1

    This almost sounds like the flying vehicles that Frank Herbert wrote about in the Dune novels. I always thought why he wrote about a flapwing vehicle and not a hover craft that most other scifi authors write about.

  6. Why setup a production house on an island? on Finale for Final Fantasy Studio · · Score: 1

    First let me say that FF has been a great thing. But why did they have the whole org on an island in the Pacific? I know the travel costs must have been stagering not to mention the cost of living that all the people had to adjust for. I understand that you attract good people to good places but this is a bit excessive.

    Enough said!

  7. Never used the mail anyway on ATT Broadband Forfeits Mediaone Domain · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Enough said. I guess next it will have to be switched to comcast when the purchase goes through. Own your own domain so you don't get screwed!!

    Enough said

    Chris Woodruff

  8. Re:$119.40 per year on Ximian Adds Subscription · · Score: 1

    Actually you can subscribe for a year and only pay $99.95. Saves you 15%. Not that I agree with it but I do agree with the new idea that if you want to get something faster then pay for it. If not then go with the slow update.

    I don't see this as paying for updates as much as paying for a faster way of getting the updates. If I can update 10x faster then that may be benefitial for me. I only wish that I could have the same deal with my commute to work. I would gladly pay extra to get into a VIP lane on the freeway to save some time during rushhour.

  9. Re:Another interesting AI book for movie on Spielberg (And Kubrick)'s A.I. · · Score: 1

    I have found that Amazon always has a few used copies for sale. Minsky has indicated to me that he is going to ask Harrison and the publisher to release the text of the book to the net since it is out of print.

    Check around at used book stores. That is where I found my new used copy. I lent the original to a friend and it has been lost.

  10. Another interesting AI book for movie on Spielberg (And Kubrick)'s A.I. · · Score: 1

    The book "The Turing Option" by Harry Harrison and Marvin Minsky would also make a good movie. It is a book using Minsky's theories and ideas of AI with a great storyline. Mr. Minsky wrote me and said that at one time it was under option to be made but interest was lost (no money). If anyone wants a good read find this book. It is out of print but you should be able to find it used. Mr. Minsky also has extra chapters at his personal
    web page.

    If there is interest, I am rereading the book and would do write a review for /. in a few weeks.

  11. Why kill when you could just ftp it. on Antitrust · · Score: 1

    I saw th movie last Saturday by myself. I thought it was mildly entertaining but there was one big problem I had with it. First NURV is killing so called "open source" developers when they crack a problem but before they tell anyone. I don't see why NURV had to kill anyone. Why not just grab the source off a website or ftp it. If Synapse was closed source then how could anyone find out if the source used was from open source developers. I assumed that all the killed hackers were OP'ers. That made the movie that much more unwatchable.

  12. Electronic Version of Material on Vanity Press For Linux Geeks? · · Score: 2

    I think that offering this service would be great. I would also suggest researching the possibilities of having electronic format for the documentation. Having pdf format is good for me since I like to print out chapters sometimes and read. I would also partner with the coming Gnome and KDE based handhelds and build a way to have services so people can download and read docs on these future devices.

  13. Re:They could have read the encyclopedia... on Dune: House Harkonnen · · Score: 1

    Please take a look at the Official Dune site and read the FAQ. Your question will be answered. http://www.dunenovels.com/index_html_frame.html

  14. Development on University owned computers... on Intellectual Property Issues In College? · · Score: 1

    is owned by the university. There was a policy when I was school that said anything developed on a university computer was intellectual property of the university. I don't know but I assume that most colleges have this policy in place. If you develop code on your personal computer you should be safe.

  15. Why doesn't a research institute like... on Xerox Trying To Sell PARC · · Score: 1

    Stanford buy it and further their research. Just a thought.

  16. Suggestion for a better book for movie on First Pix From New Dune Miniseries · · Score: 1

    I always thought "Turing Option" by Harry Harrison and Marvin Minskey (not published anymore) would have been a great book to convert into a movie. Great story and characters. Anyone else read this book? Any thoughts?

  17. Re:A funny idea... on DeCSS Injunction Ruling · · Score: 1

    I understand the "intellectual property" concept and I was only ranting after learning of the decision.

    The topic of legal right to use my persoanl property comes from a deep belief of the Liberterian ideals. I believe that drugs, prostitution and gambling all should be legal. Read the constitution and the right to persue happiness. Now I don't do drugs or pay prostitutes (can't say I don't gamble though) but how does the actions of a person who does affect me? Their actions have no affect on my welfare. Take a look at the platform of the liberterian party. Good things for strong people.

  18. Civil Disobedience on DeCSS Injunction Ruling · · Score: 1

    But, to speak practically and as a citizen, unlike those who call themselves no-government men, I ask for, not at one no government, but at once a better government. Let every man make known what kind of government would command his respect, and that will be one step toward obtaining it.

    -- Henry David Thoreau "Civil Disobedience"

  19. A funny idea... on DeCSS Injunction Ruling · · Score: 1

    If the DVD Copy Control Assosciation can sue us then why can we not sue them for infringing on our right to use personal property? Seems to me any person who owns a DVD and not a "certified" DVD player (I am one of these persons) has had his/her personal freedom infringed upon. They have taken away my right to use my property. I cannot view the images on my DVD now.

    I may just be a bit touchy right now but a class action lawsuit seems to be what could cure this mess. I may be wrong but it's worth trying.

  20. The two that come to mind are... on Technologies That Shaped the Last Century? · · Score: 1

    the telephone and automobiles. The telephone and more importantly the telephone keypad (best UI of the 20th century) gave us the ability to talk over great distances and was easy enough for all to use. The automobile was instrument in the expansion of the masses west early in the century. Both of these inventions gave rise to such things as suburbs, nation wide sports leagues and calling Mom on Mother's day.

  21. Stock Option worth nothing until... on What are Share Options Worth? · · Score: 2

    the company IPO's, gets aquired, or merges. Stock options are not equity in the company only the right to purchase equity at a latter date when vested. I have been sucked into the options games and came out a lot wiser. Here is the bottom line -- Stock options are only worth something if someone else values them. Until then they are not worth the price of the paper they are printed on.

    I hope I don't come accross as bitter but I do want to show people the truth.

  22. News from the Inprise newsgroups on Borland's Interbase Open-Sourced · · Score: 1

    After reading all the stuff here I went to the Inprise newsgroup borland.public.delphi.non-technical and read some comments there. This is the main newsgroup for anything concerning Inprise so don't worry about the Delphi name.

    What I found is most of the posters don't have a clue what Open Source is and think that by open sourcing Interbase Inprise has dropped it completely. It's sad that some people are clueless. They don't understand any ideas concerning Open Source. Most believe that Inprise had a dead product and let it go into the graveyard of Open Source.

  23. Also look at "The Pragmatic Programmer" book on Extreme Programming Explained · · Score: 2

    I am reading "The Pragmatic Programmer : From Journeyman to Master" by Hunt, Andrew and Thomas, David and they have many good idea that run parallel to XP. May be a another book someone could review. If needed I can do it if I can find the time.

  24. Re:Planning is good! on Extreme Programming Explained · · Score: 1

    Specialized skills may not be a good thing. Now I agree with you concerning the idea that one should have some knowledge of other disiplines. I think of myself as a UI designer/application developer but I can write my own stored procedures and perform other more simple DB tasks.

    So in the end I think we agree on most ideas. Thanks and I am going to get the book and read it. Also take a look at the book "The Pragmatic Programmer" by Hunt, Andrew and Thomas, David. You will get some good ideas from it.

  25. Re:Planning is good! on Extreme Programming Explained · · Score: 1

    I wanted to stress that I felt that large complex implementation may not be the best test case for XP. I like the whole idea that no one owns the code and everyone has the right to work/review on anything. My problem is that software that can reach 1 million+ lines of code needs to have extensive analysis and design because there is a greater ripple effect when "requirements" change after implementation has started.