Sure, IP based KVM's are neato. But then you also need remote controlled power outlets to power-cycle machines which are stuck in ways that can't be fixed without a poke on the hardware reset or NMI button. Compared to what you'd need for systems with proper serial console support including the ability to ressurect hung systems, this IP based KVM stuff is very expensive.
Do you really think that's going to be a typical application for this motherboard?
Yes. It looks like it'd be useful for embedded applications like alarm systems, card access control, kiosks, and so on. I suspect it would also have excellent potential in high density server applications, like a special rackmount case with two dozen or so of these boards mounted on pull-out cards.
I find the reset switch on the front of the case generally works as well.
Yes, but the reset switch is hard to press if you're 1000 miles away. The whole point of using a serial console instead of a video console is so you can remotely administer the machine even when it's not reachable via the network by connecting instead to a terminal server or similar device that's wired to the serial console.
Have you found a way to activate the magic SysRq function from the serial console? If you have, does this method still work even if the machine is locked up solid?
Provided the BIOS supports USB<->RS-232 adaptors, one of those should be sufficient for most purposes. LILO, syslinux, and so on do their I/O via the BIOS, so it would be redirected. And the Linux console would be redirected after boot provided your kernel had RS-232 over USB and serial console enabled.
It's too bad serial console support on PC's sucks so severely though. Even if you have a RS-232 port on the motherboard, there's no way to unstick a wedged machine, like you can do by sending a break on the serial console of most Sun machines.
amd64 CPU's available _now_
on
Is Prescott 64-bit?
·
· Score: 4, Informative
You can order amd64 systems from places like appro and Penguin Computing right now, with decent sized collections of 64-bit applications provided by popular distributions such as SuSE. Let's not forget that the amd64 CPU's can run ia32 binaries at speeds faster than many ia32 CPU's and on a system with an amd64 kernel allow for more aggregate address space consumption across processes and the ability to install tremendous amounts of physical memory for buffers and cache even if individual processes can only take advantage of a few gigabytes.
With other groups like the Debian project well underway in their amd64 porting efforts, you can expect thousands of popular applications built for the amd64 platform. There's tons of software available for amd64 already, and you can bet by the time that AMD releases their "Athlon64" or whatever they're targeting the low-end market with, there will be even more.
(For several reasons, including knowing how long a DHCP lease lasts, so it can be renewed, timing out ARP entries and discovered routes, and sending out RIP broadcasts.)
You don't need a clock for those things - only a timer.
I just realized I made a small error in the above pseudocode. If you successfully hang closer routers you won't be have connectivity to more distant ones, so distant routers should be tried first. If the for loop is changed to read for $hopnum ($#hops..5), the effect is much greater assuming an equal number of vunerable routers.
rsync can resume BitTorrent downloads
on
BitTorrent Guide
·
· Score: 4, Informative
BitTorrent creates a sparse output file and then populates it with data in a quasi-random order. You can't resume these files with software that assumes that all data up to the end of file mark has been populated, but you can resume with any rsync or any other program program which supports differential file transfers. Rsync will checksum the blocks with missing data, determine that those blocks don't match the remote file, and transfer only those blocks.
It seems like it's hard these days to get your hands on a decent printer that doesn't need a new set of $50 ink cartriges every 300 pages or constantly clog, steak or jam. Added bonus if it has PostScript and expension capabilities without costing an arm and a leg. The new dispoable inkjets and GDI winprinters may occupy the best shelf space in the local office supply store, but there's still decent printers out there if you look around enough. You can bet I was a happy camper when I found a name brand 16ppm PostScript laser printer for under $200 at a local office supply store.
This week, the national office supply chain OfficeMax was advertising the HP LaserJet 1200SE for $199.99. Bad news,
it was sold out. But good news is that another national retailer, Staples, has plenty in stock and will
match the OfficeMax price if you bring a copy of OfficeMax's advertisement. In my area, it appeared in the Sunday Lowell Sun and the Sunday Boston Globe. Check your area newspaper for the advertisement. I'm sure there's other national office supply chains which can match the OfficeMax price on this printer. According to HP, regular
price is $399.
The printer is 15ppm at 1600x1600dpi with PostScript and 16MB of RAM. (The
non-SE model has only 8mb of RAM. On both models there is a quasi-standard
looking RAM expansion slot which can accommodate another 64MB of memory).
Connectivity is via your choice of a bi-directional parallel port with
standard centronics connector and a USB "B" connector. Printer works
flawlessly with CUPS over the parallel port.
Reports indicate it works fine over USB too. See
linuxprinting.org for
more information.
The printer includes one C7115A toner/drum cartridge, which yields around
2500 pages. I found new prefilled cartridges for $60. Loose refill toner is $13. I found
ferrous toner (for MICR printing on checks and so on) for $35.
After the last ptrace() fiasco, there was a temporary workarounds in the form of loadable modules which stub out or wrap the ptrace function. For servers where downtime and reboots must always be scheduled in advance, such a fix was well received.
You can create such your own module containing a do-nothing fake_ptrace function. In init_module(), set sys_call_table[__NR_ptrace]=fake_ptrace so the fake ptrace gets run instead of the real one. Search google for "no ptrace module" to find a few readymade ptrace wrapper/stub modules.
Sadly, I have to agree with you. These days, legal battles aren't about who's right, but who has more money to toss around. See the Nissan v. Nissan case.
That's a poor example. In the end, Uzi Nissan wound up keeping nissan.com for his computer shop. The automaker is at http://nissandriven.com/ or http://nissanusa.com/
Yeah, it makes sense. I mean if you ran an extension cord out your door and put a sign out "free electricity", I doubt the power company would have a problem with it at all. They would even happily install a new transformer on the pole for you if you wanted a bigger one so you could use more power.
A better analogy might be hanging up a POTS telephone outside with a sign that says "unlimited free local calls," because in most cases electricity is metered and local telephone service is not.
(Some might argue that the telephone is different because you can not make a call on a line at the same instant someone else is. The same holds true for a packet switched connection, however, where two packets can not be sent at exactly the same instant. In both cases, your personal ability to use the service is reduced somewhat if you share it with others).
One important aspect that you neglect to mention is that telco wires and their supporting infrastructure occupy public and private property. In exchange for the use of this property, the property owners must be given some consideration. It seems reasonable that property owners should have some influence over where wires are strung or burried and how those wires are used.
That said, I'm all for mandatory at-cost leasing of wires that occupy public land or private property not owned by the telco. In absence of such measure, another method for preserving fairness might be requiring telco's to pay rent to the property owner.
If you don't like the new sourceforge.net agreement, you can use always savannah.gnu.org
instead. Or you can run your own sourceforge type site by entering apt-get install sourceforge on just about any Debian GNU/Linux machine.
Unless you went to Japan and bought the copy yourself and brought it back yourself your copy is illegal.
For the purposes of qualifying for the exemption in 17 USC 602 (a) (2), the distinction is whether you've imported the copy for your own personal use or imported a whole bunch for resale. How you actually import the copy, whether it be travelling to to the foriegn place and carrying it back or having someone there ship it to you, is unimportant.
However, you do need a license to use hardware because the exclusive privilege granted by patent law covers "make, use, or sell."
Yes, I considered patents. The rights to use and resell a single instance of patented invention are granted when the invention is sold to an end user. After all, it's only fair that someone who's paid for an invention doesn't have to pay again every time they use it.
Sony licenses those patents on conditions that are spelled out on the back of the PlayStation's box: "Licensed for use only with software bearing the PlayStation logo and the [NTSC|U/C] designation."
I'm sure Sony would like it very much if they were able to license their patented inventions. In the type of transaction through which the average playstation end user obtains their console, however, these patented inventions are sold, not rented, leased, or licensed.
Sony's exclusions on the use of their patented inventions inside the product have no more force than the words "for home use only" or "not for resale" as they might appear on the packing of a a toaster or voltmeter which contains patented technologies. The manufacturer still has no recourse if I use the toaster at a restaurant, the voltmeter as a part of a professional rework operation, or if I resell either of the items used.
Re:Common Misinterpretation of 17 USC 602 (a)
on
Sony vs Modchips
·
· Score: 2, Informative
The programs are different. Japanese version has japanese text. They are different "works" and so this rule does not apply at all. Only Sony's license applies.
The fact that whatever you import differs from what's available domesticly does not cause 17 USC 602 (a) (2) to cease to grant its exception allowing one to import copies for personal use. Read 17 USC 602 again; it mentions nothing of the sort. Indeed, the main reason for importing a work rather than purchasing it domesticly is that what's available by import is not currently available locally.
Imported Copies Lawfully Aquired - Use OK
on
Sony vs Modchips
·
· Score: 4, Informative
Playing unlicensed software (out of region dvds and import games) is not "legitimate," if by legitimate what you mean is "legal."
You don't need a license to use software. You only need to have lawfully aquired a copy of that software. According to 17 USC 602 (a) (2), copies imported for personal use have been lawfully aquired. Also, see 17 USC 117 (a) (1), which specificly makes copies made as "an essential step in the utilization of the computer program" non-infringing. 17 USC 117 (a) (1)'s exemption certainly includes copies made while loading the program into memory, a popular excuse used by those who argue that a license is required in order to use software. Your arguments that either obtaining or using imported copies is infringing or unlawful are at best unconvincing.
The text of 17 USC 602 (a) (2) follows:
Importation into the United States, without the authority of the owner of copyright under this title, of copies or phonorecords of a work that have been acquired outside the United States is an infringement of the exclusive right to distribute copies or phonorecords under section 106, actionable under section 501. This subsection does not apply to
[...]
importation, for the private use of the importer and not for distribution, by any person with respect to no more than one copy or phonorecord of any one work at any one time, or by any person arriving from outside the United States with respect to copies or phonorecords forming part of such person's personal baggage; or...
There's also exemptions for government use, scholarly, religion, and educational purposes, and for libraries. You should read all of 17 USC 602 (a) before jumping to conclusions about whether it's legal to import games for personal use or to play lawfully imported games.
Common Misinterpretation of 17 USC 602 (a)
on
Sony vs Modchips
·
· Score: 5, Informative
How the fuck do you get off calling playing games from different regions legitimate? It is ILLEGAL, dumbass!
(a)
I suspect you're referring to 17 USC 602 (a), which reads as follows:
Importation into the United States, without the authority of the owner of copyright under this title, of copies or phonorecords of a work that have been acquired outside the United States is an infringement of the exclusive right to distribute copies or phonorecords under section 106, actionable under section 501.
But one important thing you've neglected to do is to read further. 17 USC 602 (a) (2) goes on to say:
This subsection does not apply to importation, for the private use of the importer and not for distribution, by any person with respect to no more than one copy or phonorecord of any one work at any one time, or by any person arriving from outside the United States with respect to copies or phonorecords forming part of such person's personal baggage; or...
There's also exemptions for government use, scholarly, religion, and educational purposes, and for libraries. You should read all of 17 USC 602 (a) before jumping to conclusions about whether it's legal to import games for personal use or to play lawfully imported games.
first off you have an audio amplifier there, not a broadband amplifier. there is built in (intentional or just to keep costs down) filters that remove subsonic and hypersonic elements. reproducing anything above human hearing is a waste of money and anything below 20Hz is moronic. (I doubt you have a room in your house that can hold a wave from anything lower than 40Hz. Otherwise you have to be in the near field (2X the speaker diameter in distance from the cone) to hear it.)
Aah, but that's just it. Most good hi-fi audio amplifiers are broadband amplifiers. For example, my NAD 2200 power amplifier uses 25mhz transistors, resulting in bandwidth far exceeding the audiable spectrum. The unit has two sets of inputs, one of which has subsonics and hypersonics filtered and one which does not. If you're using a pre-amp and CD player which you trust not to induce its own junk into the audio path, you use the unfiltered lab inputs. If not, you use the filtered inputs to avoid wasting capacity amplifing signals that may potentially waste amplifier capacity and damage your speakers. In an unfiltered configuration, you could in theory damage your speakers by playing a CD with lots of subsonics and hypersonics just like the poster describes.
Combine this with a five-wrong-attempts lockout, and it's pretty secure.
Excessive failed login lockouts are not always the best idea. At the local university, nasty freshmen who want to sabotage another student repeatedly attempt bogus logins to that persons account until it gets locked. Victims find this particularly annoying when an assignment is due the next day and the system administrator has already gone home.
(And if the failed login lockout is active on every account, the system administrator may well find themselves locked out by a malicious user. Whoops).
The terms of the nasty agreement Dallas Semi makes you agree to before buying the java ibutton make it unacceptable for just about every purpose. First, it claims that when you buy an ibutton, you won't actually own it and you're in fact not buying anything at all (notice the wording "all title.. not limited to copyrights"):
2. COPYRIGHT. All title, including but not limited to copyrights, in and to the Java powered i Button product are owned by DS. All title and intellectual property rights in and to the content which may be accessed through use of the Java powered iButton product is the property of the respective content owner and may be protected by applicable copyright or other intellectual property laws and treaties. This license Agreement grants you no rights to use s...
And the nasty contract also stipulates that you can't take it apart to verify that it's secure or verify its lifespan, operating tolerances, etc:
3. INTEGRITY OF Java powered iButton. You may permanently transfer all of your rights under this License, provided the recipient agrees to the terms of this License. You may not tamper, attempt to open, deliberately subject to environmental stress beyond its operating parameters, copy, reverse engineer, revise, or misuse the Java powered iButton.
So let's say you ran a security firm. And you were using the ibutton to fulfill a very important security contract such as locking doors or managing secure logins for a gazillion dollar corporation. You'd want to disassemble the ibutton to make sure it is really tamper resistant. You'd want to check to make sure the operating parameters really were as advertised. You'd want to check the device for durability. If you didn't, the client might be able to claim you didn't do due dilligence you might be liable for damages. Since the license for the ibutton prohibits all of these things, you wouldn't be able to use it.
Slashdot Mirror
Sure, IP based KVM's are neato. But then you also need remote controlled power outlets to power-cycle machines which are stuck in ways that can't be fixed without a poke on the hardware reset or NMI button. Compared to what you'd need for systems with proper serial console support including the ability to ressurect hung systems, this IP based KVM stuff is very expensive.
Yes. It looks like it'd be useful for embedded applications like alarm systems, card access control, kiosks, and so on. I suspect it would also have excellent potential in high density server applications, like a special rackmount case with two dozen or so of these boards mounted on pull-out cards.
Yes, but the reset switch is hard to press if you're 1000 miles away. The whole point of using a serial console instead of a video console is so you can remotely administer the machine even when it's not reachable via the network by connecting instead to a terminal server or similar device that's wired to the serial console.
Have you found a way to activate the magic SysRq function from the serial console? If you have, does this method still work even if the machine is locked up solid?
Provided the BIOS supports USB<->RS-232 adaptors, one of those should be sufficient for most purposes. LILO, syslinux, and so on do their I/O via the BIOS, so it would be redirected. And the Linux console would be redirected after boot provided your kernel had RS-232 over USB and serial console enabled.
It's too bad serial console support on PC's sucks so severely though. Even if you have a RS-232 port on the motherboard, there's no way to unstick a wedged machine, like you can do by sending a break on the serial console of most Sun machines.
You can order amd64 systems from places like appro and Penguin Computing right now, with decent sized collections of 64-bit applications provided by popular distributions such as SuSE. Let's not forget that the amd64 CPU's can run ia32 binaries at speeds faster than many ia32 CPU's and on a system with an amd64 kernel allow for more aggregate address space consumption across processes and the ability to install tremendous amounts of physical memory for buffers and cache even if individual processes can only take advantage of a few gigabytes.
With other groups like the Debian project well underway in their amd64 porting efforts, you can expect thousands of popular applications built for the amd64 platform. There's tons of software available for amd64 already, and you can bet by the time that AMD releases their "Athlon64" or whatever they're targeting the low-end market with, there will be even more.
You don't need a clock for those things - only a timer.
I just realized I made a small error in the above pseudocode. If you successfully hang closer routers you won't be have connectivity to more distant ones, so distant routers should be tried first. If the for loop is changed to read for $hopnum ($#hops..5), the effect is much greater assuming an equal number of vunerable routers.
Patch your vunerable Cisco gear ASAP!
Imagine your typical packet kiddie running dozens of instances of the following pseudocode on his farm of a few hundred trojaned boxes:
}
If you haven't patched already - do it now.
http://osiris.978.org/~brianr/torrent/linux-2.4.21 .torrent
BitTorrent creates a sparse output file and then populates it with data in a quasi-random order. You can't resume these files with software that assumes that all data up to the end of file mark has been populated, but you can resume with any rsync or any other program program which supports differential file transfers. Rsync will checksum the blocks with missing data, determine that those blocks don't match the remote file, and transfer only those blocks.
It seems like it's hard these days to get your hands on a decent printer that doesn't need a new set of $50 ink cartriges every 300 pages or constantly clog, steak or jam. Added bonus if it has PostScript and expension capabilities without costing an arm and a leg. The new dispoable inkjets and GDI winprinters may occupy the best shelf space in the local office supply store, but there's still decent printers out there if you look around enough. You can bet I was a happy camper when I found a name brand 16ppm PostScript laser printer for under $200 at a local office supply store.
This week, the national office supply chain OfficeMax was advertising the HP LaserJet 1200SE for $199.99. Bad news, it was sold out. But good news is that another national retailer, Staples, has plenty in stock and will match the OfficeMax price if you bring a copy of OfficeMax's advertisement. In my area, it appeared in the Sunday Lowell Sun and the Sunday Boston Globe. Check your area newspaper for the advertisement. I'm sure there's other national office supply chains which can match the OfficeMax price on this printer. According to HP, regular price is $399.
The printer is 15ppm at 1600x1600dpi with PostScript and 16MB of RAM. (The non-SE model has only 8mb of RAM. On both models there is a quasi-standard looking RAM expansion slot which can accommodate another 64MB of memory). Connectivity is via your choice of a bi-directional parallel port with standard centronics connector and a USB "B" connector. Printer works flawlessly with CUPS over the parallel port.
Reports indicate it works fine over USB too. See linuxprinting.org for more information.
The printer includes one C7115A toner/drum cartridge, which yields around 2500 pages. I found new prefilled cartridges for $60. Loose refill toner is $13. I found ferrous toner (for MICR printing on checks and so on) for $35.
After the last ptrace() fiasco, there was a temporary workarounds in the form of loadable modules which stub out or wrap the ptrace function. For servers where downtime and reboots must always be scheduled in advance, such a fix was well received.
You can create such your own module containing a do-nothing fake_ptrace function. In init_module(), set sys_call_table[__NR_ptrace]=fake_ptrace so the fake ptrace gets run instead of the real one. Search google for "no ptrace module" to find a few readymade ptrace wrapper/stub modules.
That's a poor example. In the end, Uzi Nissan wound up keeping nissan.com for his computer shop. The automaker is at http://nissandriven.com/ or http://nissanusa.com/
A better analogy might be hanging up a POTS telephone outside with a sign that says "unlimited free local calls," because in most cases electricity is metered and local telephone service is not.
(Some might argue that the telephone is different because you can not make a call on a line at the same instant someone else is. The same holds true for a packet switched connection, however, where two packets can not be sent at exactly the same instant. In both cases, your personal ability to use the service is reduced somewhat if you share it with others).
One important aspect that you neglect to mention is that telco wires and their supporting infrastructure occupy public and private property. In exchange for the use of this property, the property owners must be given some consideration. It seems reasonable that property owners should have some influence over where wires are strung or burried and how those wires are used.
That said, I'm all for mandatory at-cost leasing of wires that occupy public land or private property not owned by the telco. In absence of such measure, another method for preserving fairness might be requiring telco's to pay rent to the property owner.
If you don't like the new sourceforge.net agreement, you can use always savannah.gnu.org instead. Or you can run your own sourceforge type site by entering apt-get install sourceforge on just about any Debian GNU/Linux machine.
For the purposes of qualifying for the exemption in 17 USC 602 (a) (2), the distinction is whether you've imported the copy for your own personal use or imported a whole bunch for resale. How you actually import the copy, whether it be travelling to to the foriegn place and carrying it back or having someone there ship it to you, is unimportant.
Yes, I considered patents. The rights to use and resell a single instance of patented invention are granted when the invention is sold to an end user. After all, it's only fair that someone who's paid for an invention doesn't have to pay again every time they use it.
I'm sure Sony would like it very much if they were able to license their patented inventions. In the type of transaction through which the average playstation end user obtains their console, however, these patented inventions are sold, not rented, leased, or licensed.
Sony's exclusions on the use of their patented inventions inside the product have no more force than the words "for home use only" or "not for resale" as they might appear on the packing of a a toaster or voltmeter which contains patented technologies. The manufacturer still has no recourse if I use the toaster at a restaurant, the voltmeter as a part of a professional rework operation, or if I resell either of the items used.
The fact that whatever you import differs from what's available domesticly does not cause 17 USC 602 (a) (2) to cease to grant its exception allowing one to import copies for personal use. Read 17 USC 602 again; it mentions nothing of the sort. Indeed, the main reason for importing a work rather than purchasing it domesticly is that what's available by import is not currently available locally.
You don't need a license to use software. You only need to have lawfully aquired a copy of that software. According to 17 USC 602 (a) (2), copies imported for personal use have been lawfully aquired. Also, see 17 USC 117 (a) (1), which specificly makes copies made as "an essential step in the utilization of the computer program" non-infringing. 17 USC 117 (a) (1)'s exemption certainly includes copies made while loading the program into memory, a popular excuse used by those who argue that a license is required in order to use software. Your arguments that either obtaining or using imported copies is infringing or unlawful are at best unconvincing.
The text of 17 USC 602 (a) (2) follows:
There's also exemptions for government use, scholarly, religion, and educational purposes, and for libraries. You should read all of 17 USC 602 (a) before jumping to conclusions about whether it's legal to import games for personal use or to play lawfully imported games.
I suspect you're referring to 17 USC 602 (a), which reads as follows:
But one important thing you've neglected to do is to read further. 17 USC 602 (a) (2) goes on to say:There's also exemptions for government use, scholarly, religion, and educational purposes, and for libraries. You should read all of 17 USC 602 (a) before jumping to conclusions about whether it's legal to import games for personal use or to play lawfully imported games.
Aah, but that's just it. Most good hi-fi audio amplifiers are broadband amplifiers. For example, my NAD 2200 power amplifier uses 25mhz transistors, resulting in bandwidth far exceeding the audiable spectrum. The unit has two sets of inputs, one of which has subsonics and hypersonics filtered and one which does not. If you're using a pre-amp and CD player which you trust not to induce its own junk into the audio path, you use the unfiltered lab inputs. If not, you use the filtered inputs to avoid wasting capacity amplifing signals that may potentially waste amplifier capacity and damage your speakers. In an unfiltered configuration, you could in theory damage your speakers by playing a CD with lots of subsonics and hypersonics just like the poster describes.
Excessive failed login lockouts are not always the best idea. At the local university, nasty freshmen who want to sabotage another student repeatedly attempt bogus logins to that persons account until it gets locked. Victims find this particularly annoying when an assignment is due the next day and the system administrator has already gone home.
(And if the failed login lockout is active on every account, the system administrator may well find themselves locked out by a malicious user. Whoops).
The terms of the nasty agreement Dallas Semi makes you agree to before buying the java ibutton make it unacceptable for just about every purpose. First, it claims that when you buy an ibutton, you won't actually own it and you're in fact not buying anything at all (notice the wording "all title .. not limited to copyrights"):
And the nasty contract also stipulates that you can't take it apart to verify that it's secure or verify its lifespan, operating tolerances, etc:
So let's say you ran a security firm. And you were using the ibutton to fulfill a very important security contract such as locking doors or managing secure logins for a gazillion dollar corporation. You'd want to disassemble the ibutton to make sure it is really tamper resistant. You'd want to check to make sure the operating parameters really were as advertised. You'd want to check the device for durability. If you didn't, the client might be able to claim you didn't do due dilligence you might be liable for damages. Since the license for the ibutton prohibits all of these things, you wouldn't be able to use it.