With the WTO as it is, sovereign nations no longer have the exclusive ability to control their own tariffs. Though the U.S. might want to levy a tariff on software exports, we can propose the tariff to the WTO, but there's no guarantee that we'd be granted one.
if you are after screen area, why waste a lot of it displaying a virtual keyboard? This laptop might be a good candidate for those projection keyboards.
I bet you could set up the keyboard so that it's repositionable (or use mirrors) so that you can use it while in "dual-portrait" or "dual-landscape"
And (not sure if this is feasible) if you are wanting to eliminate the whole touch-screen concept how about a projection mouse pad as well?
Linux was the fastest platform on the block (back in the days of Windows 3.1 and flawed pentiums). More recently, working with Linux, I was disappointed with the speed. Maybe this will be the killer-non-ap that makes Linux scream and encourages us all to delete their FAT32 partitions for good?
Your Office documents are perfectly readable by them, but everything they send YOU your older version can't read. So if you want to continue to do business with them you have to switch too.
For this reason, I always insist on RTF. If they send it in RTF, then all versions of most WP software can read it.
Once a threat is identified, it makes no sense to blow it up into pieces because the pieces still would have nearly as devastating effect on the earth as the original monolithic object. That leaves what is probably the best solution: change it's orbit by moving it. How to do that? Build nuclear blast proof parabolic dishes or excavate a parabolic shape on the menacing asteroid's surface and place a nuclear device at the focus and detonate it. The thrust from the blast will deflect the object from hitting Earth. Experimentation, research and computer modeling will need to be done before the efficacy of such an approach can be assessed, and as always, the more lead-time you have in identifying the threat, the better!
Think about all the previous advances in the human culture. So many were spawned from war. For instance, I doubt the common 747 jet airliner would be such a popular mode of transportation today if the Nazi's weren't looking for a plane that could run circles around the allied air force.
That's right! Look at a Boeing 737 and then look at a Messerschmit Me-262 Sturmvogel and note the differences: Damn few!
In addition to sales taxes, Westly said he is considering a tax on Internet access like those that appear on telephone bills. He also is looking at a tax on software downloads.
Heh, software downloads would undoubtedly apply to JavaScript, since JavaScript is software. I can see it now, Granny blunders into a porno site and after experiencing a JavaScript blitzkrieg winds up owing the state of California $47.86.
Certification has pluses and minuses for employees and employers alike, the real winners turn out to be the Cerifying organization. So, why not? Let's start "Billy The Mountain's Certified Information Technology Professional" program. "What, you say you're not BTMCITP? Gedowwdahea!"
Step 1. We'll charge $400 a pop, with a $50 annual maint. fee
Step 2. ????
Step 3. Marvel at how it's just like were printing our own money.
It seems to me that the Programming for the Atari 2600 is like working a Chinese Puzzle. Previously, I've wondered why not write new titles for MAME? It's available on multiple platforms and probably not so hard to develop on since it's emulating newer architecture.
BTM
The OS world from the 'GO' perspective
on
ReactOS 0.1.0 Released
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
This announcement of this OS may seem interesting, but if you play the endlessly fascinating game of Go, your insight can become more balanced. For example, When Microsoft was well on the way of total OS dominance, it was as if the board had many stones, but all in one corner. Then Linus Torvalds, almost absentmindedly, played a stone in the opposite corner that was mostly vacant and Microsoft and the rest of the world ignored it, so Linus played a few more stones. Soon there was a formidable structure that Microsoft and the rest of the world couldn't ignore. And that's where we are today. Now ReactOS comes along and plays a stone, but no matter where the stone is placed on the OS board, the position is weak.
Hey, nice idea. It would be fun setting up the science fair study.
It could present the user with four different levels of increasingly dangerous dialogs:
Start out with something like "Microsoft wants to install a Service Pack Upgrade". Be sure to inlcude a radio button for "always trust Microsoft Corporation"
Next present a dialog that installs "gator"
Then, see if they'd like to host "Back Orfice" and "always trust the Cult of the Dead Cow"
Finally see if they'd like to install a suite of viruses, and email worms.
That way, you could gather and quantify levels of human stupidity. -- maybe even get a regional picture?
I think if any of these landmarks get destroyed, they should be rebuilt with corporate money. Then, the corporation can add it's own name, just like they're doing with paying money to rename civic sports venues. How about the "Tyco Statue of Liberty" or the "Global Crossing U.S. Capitol Rotunda"?
From Sony's website: CD EXTRA combines the worlds of Music and Multimedia. A traditional audio CD when placed in an audio CD player, CD EXTRA offers a free interactive multimedia experience when played in a computer's CD-ROM drive *. CD EXTRA offers the music fan a closer look at their favorite artists, with many CD EXTRAs containing exclusive content **. Other CD EXTRAs contain Internet Service Provider Software which allows you to connect to the Internet***.
* For violating the DRA you will hear sirens and cops shouting "Come out with your hands up!" in digital surround sound.
** If you defeat the copy protection, the artist and his/her lawyers will personally send you a court summons and other such legal related content.
*** Every time you load the CD it automatically "phones home" and sends a record of your listening prefs to the home office.
I thought of this idea a while back, but for helicopters because I thought it would an interesting and colorful alternative to blimp advertising. I mentioned it to a helicopter engineer once, but he felt that the blades were too critical to put anything on them and the centrifugal force would be a problem as well. It would be cool though.
BTM
Slashdotted...Here's the text
on
Software For Ransom
·
· Score: 5, Informative
"Ransom is a software publishing model where the rights to the source code remain restricted until a set amount of money is collected or a set date passes, at which point the code is freed". This model is fair, legally sound, practical, and easy to understand. In the Ransom model, the programmers are paid by the simple demand and quality of their work, not by selling copies of their work by creating artificial supply restrictions.
The problem that Ransom solves is that many open source developers work very hard on their software projects, and usually end up giving their work away, due to the nature of open source. I firmly believe that their social-mindedness and generosity do not qualify as reasons why they shouldn't be fairly compensated for their work. It is impossible to ensure payments through closed source software use, so the rules of publishing the software in the first place need to be changed.
Current models do not work since they are not fair to all parties. Purely "closed source" softwares not only severely restrict the user's abilities and freedoms, but also ignore the laws of value by ignoring software's ability for unlimited supply using a simple 'copy' command. Purely open source software removes any chance of reliable income from the programmer and leaves them to the whims of gifts and benefactors. Neither of these are acceptable.
Details: In short, Authors (the programmers of the software) first publish their work under a Ransom License (a special proprietary license). There exists the stipulation that the code will be automatically freed to a set Open Source License ([OSI]/[FSF]-approved or the public domain) once a set amount of funds have been collected from Contributors (satisfied users, grateful corporate customers, or distributors/resellers) or a set amount of time passes, whichever comes first. You can read details of the complete step-by-step process.
The public gets completely open source software, and the programmers are fairly compensated for the real work they do, not the amount of "copies" they sell. Public interests are protected by legally-binding guarantees and oversight organizations. You can read details of all features and considerations.
Issues: The current issues being discussed are:
The list of Ransom Licenses (such as:/Simple). The list of Free Licenses. Whether Ransom should allow authors to completely hoard their source code until the full Ransom amount has been paid, not even selling restricted copies. Discussion: All discussion of Ransom occurs on the Ransom mailing list, to which you can [subscribe, unsubscribe, or manage]. The list is not moderated, but you must subscribe to post. You can also [read and search the archives] of the mailing list.
Background: This project began as an idea from a friend, Eric Murphy, on how to finance a digital identity system (which has now grown into [PingID]). I took the idea and posted to [Crynwr's Free Software Business list] about it. This project is the final realization on how to achieve financial compensation for producing open & free software.
---
This is a valid model, used by Blender amongst other projects. However, I think the use of the term 'Ransom' creates a rather negative perception - do you really want an open source model associated with kidnapping? -- RichardDonkin
Perhaps a better name would be: 'Appreciation Model' or 'Threshold Model'. -- PipStuart
How would the individual be assured that the authors are faithfully reporting $ amounts received so the public would could truly know when the terms of the ransom had been met?
Perhaps an online escrow service or outside source? Although this would add a bit of overhead, it might be acceptable to all.
OK, Now announcing Billy The Mountain's Online Ransomed Software Service.
In the late 70's I saw a picture of you flying a high performance hang glider (Seagull VII?). How long did you participate in the sport? Any highlights that you can give us?
Re:Just listen to webradio from other countries th
on
Congress Passes SWSA
·
· Score: 1
For GREAT radio, check out the Brazilians. Not sure if their radio is the best in the world, but I think it's close.
Cidade in Rio (back online:)
http://www.radiocidade.fm/ Cidade in Sao Paulo is good too.
http://rockwave.virgula.terra.com.br/
The above tend to play 60% english and 40% local pop brazillian music.
Slashdot Mirror
without a Wi-Fi FirstAlert Fire Alarm. So you know when to turn off the grill.
BTM
With the WTO as it is, sovereign nations no longer have the exclusive ability to control their own tariffs. Though the U.S. might want to levy a tariff on software exports, we can propose the tariff to the WTO, but there's no guarantee that we'd be granted one.
BTM
It has a tuner. Read the article.
if you are after screen area, why waste a lot of it displaying a virtual keyboard? This laptop might be a good candidate for those projection keyboards. I bet you could set up the keyboard so that it's repositionable (or use mirrors) so that you can use it while in "dual-portrait" or "dual-landscape" And (not sure if this is feasible) if you are wanting to eliminate the whole touch-screen concept how about a projection mouse pad as well?
BTM
Linux was the fastest platform on the block (back in the days of Windows 3.1 and flawed pentiums). More recently, working with Linux, I was disappointed with the speed. Maybe this will be the killer-non-ap that makes Linux scream and encourages us all to delete their FAT32 partitions for good?
BTM
Your Office documents are perfectly readable by them, but everything they send YOU your older version can't read. So if you want to continue to do business with them you have to switch too.
For this reason, I always insist on RTF. If they send it in RTF, then all versions of most WP software can read it.
BTM
Once a threat is identified, it makes no sense to blow it up into pieces because the pieces still would have nearly as devastating effect on the earth as the original monolithic object. That leaves what is probably the best solution: change it's orbit by moving it. How to do that? Build nuclear blast proof parabolic dishes or excavate a parabolic shape on the menacing asteroid's surface and place a nuclear device at the focus and detonate it. The thrust from the blast will deflect the object from hitting Earth. Experimentation, research and computer modeling will need to be done before the efficacy of such an approach can be assessed, and as always, the more lead-time you have in identifying the threat, the better!
BTM
Think about all the previous advances in the human culture. So many were spawned from war. For instance, I doubt the common 747 jet airliner would be such a popular mode of transportation today if the Nazi's weren't looking for a plane that could run circles around the allied air force.
That's right! Look at a Boeing 737 and then look at a Messerschmit Me-262 Sturmvogel and note the differences: Damn few!
BTM
In addition to sales taxes, Westly said he is considering a tax on Internet access like those that appear on telephone bills. He also is looking at a tax on software downloads.
Heh, software downloads would undoubtedly apply to JavaScript, since JavaScript is software. I can see it now, Granny blunders into a porno site and after experiencing a JavaScript blitzkrieg winds up owing the state of California $47.86.
BTM
Certification has pluses and minuses for employees and employers alike, the real winners turn out to be the Cerifying organization. So, why not? Let's start "Billy The Mountain's Certified Information Technology Professional" program. "What, you say you're not BTMCITP? Gedowwdahea!"
Step 1. We'll charge $400 a pop, with a $50 annual maint. fee
Step 2. ????
Step 3. Marvel at how it's just like were printing our own money.
BTM
It seems to me that the Programming for the Atari 2600 is like working a Chinese Puzzle. Previously, I've wondered why not write new titles for MAME? It's available on multiple platforms and probably not so hard to develop on since it's emulating newer architecture.
BTM
This announcement of this OS may seem interesting, but if you play the endlessly fascinating game of Go, your insight can become more balanced. For example, When Microsoft was well on the way of total OS dominance, it was as if the board had many stones, but all in one corner. Then Linus Torvalds, almost absentmindedly, played a stone in the opposite corner that was mostly vacant and Microsoft and the rest of the world ignored it, so Linus played a few more stones. Soon there was a formidable structure that Microsoft and the rest of the world couldn't ignore. And that's where we are today. Now ReactOS comes along and plays a stone, but no matter where the stone is placed on the OS board, the position is weak.
BTM
Everybody drop Microsoft and switch to Linux!
BTM
No, it's not English, it must be Engrish
BTM
This will invariably lead to copyright violation if somebody tries to watch a movie
Naw, that'd be OK in this case because it wouldn't be the same movie, just a mirror image.
BTM
Hey, nice idea. It would be fun setting up the science fair study.
It could present the user with four different levels of increasingly dangerous dialogs:
Start out with something like "Microsoft wants to install a Service Pack Upgrade". Be sure to inlcude a radio button for "always trust Microsoft Corporation"
Next present a dialog that installs "gator"
Then, see if they'd like to host "Back Orfice" and "always trust the Cult of the Dead Cow"
Finally see if they'd like to install a suite of viruses, and email worms.
That way, you could gather and quantify levels of human stupidity. -- maybe even get a regional picture?
BTM
No. Mosher != Moller
BTM
I think if any of these landmarks get destroyed, they should be rebuilt with corporate money. Then, the corporation can add it's own name, just like they're doing with paying money to rename civic sports venues. How about the "Tyco Statue of Liberty" or the "Global Crossing U.S. Capitol Rotunda"?
It's not DRM, AFAIK.
Either that or it's incredible spin!
From Sony's website: CD EXTRA combines the worlds of Music and Multimedia. A traditional audio CD when placed in an audio CD player, CD EXTRA offers a free interactive multimedia experience when played in a computer's CD-ROM drive *. CD EXTRA offers the music fan a closer look at their favorite artists, with many CD EXTRAs containing exclusive content **. Other CD EXTRAs contain Internet Service Provider Software which allows you to connect to the Internet***.
* For violating the DRA you will hear sirens and cops shouting "Come out with your hands up!" in digital surround sound.
** If you defeat the copy protection, the artist and his/her lawyers will personally send you a court summons and other such legal related content.
*** Every time you load the CD it automatically "phones home" and sends a record of your listening prefs to the home office.
BTM
Digital Copyright Millenium Act?
I thought of this idea a while back, but for helicopters because I thought it would an interesting and colorful alternative to blimp advertising. I mentioned it to a helicopter engineer once, but he felt that the blades were too critical to put anything on them and the centrifugal force would be a problem as well. It would be cool though.
BTM
"Ransom is a software publishing model where the rights to the source code remain restricted until a set amount of money is collected or a set date passes, at which point the code is freed".
/Simple).
This model is fair, legally sound, practical, and easy to understand. In the Ransom model, the programmers are paid by the simple demand and quality of their work, not by selling copies of their work by creating artificial supply restrictions.
The problem that Ransom solves is that many open source developers work very hard on their software projects, and usually end up giving their work away, due to the nature of open source. I firmly believe that their social-mindedness and generosity do not qualify as reasons why they shouldn't be fairly compensated for their work. It is impossible to ensure payments through closed source software use, so the rules of publishing the software in the first place need to be changed.
Current models do not work since they are not fair to all parties. Purely "closed source" softwares not only severely restrict the user's abilities and freedoms, but also ignore the laws of value by ignoring software's ability for unlimited supply using a simple 'copy' command. Purely open source software removes any chance of reliable income from the programmer and leaves them to the whims of gifts and benefactors. Neither of these are acceptable.
Details: In short, Authors (the programmers of the software) first publish their work under a Ransom License (a special proprietary license). There exists the stipulation that the code will be automatically freed to a set Open Source License ([OSI]/[FSF]-approved or the public domain) once a set amount of funds have been collected from Contributors (satisfied users, grateful corporate customers, or distributors/resellers) or a set amount of time passes, whichever comes first. You can read details of the complete step-by-step process.
The public gets completely open source software, and the programmers are fairly compensated for the real work they do, not the amount of "copies" they sell. Public interests are protected by legally-binding guarantees and oversight organizations. You can read details of all features and considerations.
Issues: The current issues being discussed are:
The list of Ransom Licenses (such as:
The list of Free Licenses.
Whether Ransom should allow authors to completely hoard their source code until the full Ransom amount has been paid, not even selling restricted copies.
Discussion: All discussion of Ransom occurs on the Ransom mailing list, to which you can [subscribe, unsubscribe, or manage]. The list is not moderated, but you must subscribe to post. You can also [read and search the archives] of the mailing list.
Background: This project began as an idea from a friend, Eric Murphy, on how to finance a digital identity system (which has now grown into [PingID]). I took the idea and posted to [Crynwr's Free Software Business list] about it. This project is the final realization on how to achieve financial compensation for producing open & free software.
---
This is a valid model, used by Blender amongst other projects. However, I think the use of the term 'Ransom' creates a rather negative perception - do you really want an open source model associated with kidnapping? -- RichardDonkin
Perhaps a better name would be: 'Appreciation Model' or 'Threshold Model'. -- PipStuart
How would the individual be assured that the authors are faithfully reporting $ amounts received so the public would could truly know when the terms of the ransom had been met?
Perhaps an online escrow service or outside source? Although this would add a bit of overhead, it might be acceptable to all.
OK, Now announcing Billy The Mountain's Online Ransomed Software Service.
In the late 70's I saw a picture of you flying a high performance hang glider (Seagull VII?). How long did you participate in the sport? Any highlights that you can give us?
For GREAT radio, check out the Brazilians. Not sure if their radio is the best in the world, but I think it's close.
:)
Cidade in Rio (back online
http://www.radiocidade.fm/
Cidade in Sao Paulo is good too.
http://rockwave.virgula.terra.com.br/
The above tend to play 60% english and 40% local pop brazillian music.
BTM