Yes, but if you used the GPL someone else could take your sword and use it. If they made changes to it, they would have to make it available to everyone else.
The problem with Microsoft (and anyone who looks like them) is that their revenue stream is based on upgrades. A new version of Win, gotta have it. Better get new Office too before you get a file you can't open. More and more features piled on features.
It's a major weakness if a lot of people either switch or decide that what they've got is good enough.
The trick is to take over a chunk of their market share without becoming them. An open desktop standard is good, but we'll see how well it survives either failure or success.
The difference is that Microsoft is shifting what Windows is. They've been doing that all along, but until now upgrading has been a no brainer. (Insert snide comment about brains.) Eventually the path will be bumpy enough that people will look around before moving to the next version. At that point you get chaotic times.
That doesn't mean that Windows will automatically die and Linux takes over the desktop. In means that you get a period where companies, developers and users all try to second-guess each other. Expect weird shifts as people try to flock towards the winner of the moment.
'IBM, Red Hat and a consortium of computer makers [..]
Especially when RedHat was one of the companies backing away from the desktop in favour of enterprise installations. In the coming chaotic times for the desktop, I expect that we'll see lots of mixed signals as companies change directions or move in multiple directions at the same time. (In the last chaotic times, look at Microsoft's sudden shift from OS/2 to Win 3.)
On IRC, how do you set the equivalent of X-NoArchive, which Google does respect?
Anyone that expects that someone won't collect and archive anything they do in a public forum is dreaming, but usually IRC log publishers get accused of breaking netiquette. Should we all add Lamie copyright notices to anything we do on the Internet? (Yes, yes, copyright inherent, stupid, I know. Tell Lamie that.)
Makes sense, that's when Gates and Allen wrote thier BASIC.:^P
But seriously, I'm sure that there were Apple II viruses long before 1983. (I think I even remember my reaction of "Huh? That's old news" to this presentation 20 years ago.)
I doubt that your 10 email/week had much to do with blocking all.com.br. More likely it was the large amount of spam coming from 200/8 with very few legit emails.
They should have informed people that they were doing this and allowed a procedure for whitelisting. Why is your teacher using a.com.br connection?
That's very rare--so far. Certainly a complete block shouldn't block wide ranges unless an ISP really really isn't playing nice with the rest of the Internet.
There must be more to this, I can't imagine Verio (of all people) suddenly dropping all packets from a/16 range simply for spammer pages.
One more person on the bus, shouting "Hi, yeah, I'm on the bus..." into his phone just might do it. An incentive to not dispose of them in the trash might be nice, but it probably needs to be more than $5.
I guess these phones are a good idea "for people who only need a cell phone for a short period of time". If I dispose of them and return the phone, can I get the $5?
Of course with my luck, I'll go to Hell for it and then.. "Hi! Yeah, I'm in Hell.." for eternity. Nooooo!
Almost really. These NEO-communists (NEO, get it?) might like a return to the "good old days". (Actually they probably did it so people would take their picture, it would get carried by newswires, and someone would eventually post it to Slashdot. I hope they're happy now.)
'They're using a ton of Linux in Hollywood, so they've become a lightning rod for us,' says Darl McBride
Ah, so Darl thinks he's Zeus now? The thing to remember is that after the storm and noise are done, it's the lightning rod that remains. And he should be careful with electricity when he and his claims is so obviously groundless.
A number of people have reposted the text in the thread. Meanwhile Eric posted a follow up. (Brave man!) I'll see if anyone has posted a copy to Slashdot yet.
That is, I (or anybody on the inside of my net, not just an administrator) can click on a link delivered from outside my area of control and that link SETS A FLAG IN MY ROUTER....???!
It gets better. What if this was one of their WiFi routers and Joe Latte across the street is the one that changes the flag? Is your Security Sense lurching yet?
The incident that sparked this whole thing off was someone upgrading their firmware on an older box. Possibly new boxes will mention this "feature" in Large Friendly Letters. (Or maybe not.)
In semi-fairness, this "feature" is only on their home equipment line. Most of their Magic Box customers probably did think it was a cool idea. (GAH!)
Heh. I know some people who make packet radio equipment that was used off the shelf (the parts were mil-speced and what-not) for the Mars Skateboard. Damned good thing they didn't build this sort of abominat^w feature into their product eh?
Encouraged by Belkin's success with routers that redirect to advertising pages, IQ* Printer Division announced their new office printers will print an advertising/registration page every eight hours. "Certainly some of the pages will appear randomly in the middle of other print outs, but our customers# requested it." an IQ spokesperson said on condition of not being named. "The printer will also check home for upgrades and product information that we think the customers will be interesting in, and print that out too."
* Reverse ROT-1.
# Joe Sixpack, his brother Darryl and his other brother Darryl.
Slashdot Mirror
I wonder how long you keep those IP rights after the death of your character? :^P
Yes, but if you used the GPL someone else could take your sword and use it. If they made changes to it, they would have to make it available to everyone else.
It's a major weakness if a lot of people either switch or decide that what they've got is good enough.
The trick is to take over a chunk of their market share without becoming them. An open desktop standard is good, but we'll see how well it survives either failure or success.
That doesn't mean that Windows will automatically die and Linux takes over the desktop. In means that you get a period where companies, developers and users all try to second-guess each other. Expect weird shifts as people try to flock towards the winner of the moment.
Especially when RedHat was one of the companies backing away from the desktop in favour of enterprise installations. In the coming chaotic times for the desktop, I expect that we'll see lots of mixed signals as companies change directions or move in multiple directions at the same time. (In the last chaotic times, look at Microsoft's sudden shift from OS/2 to Win 3.)
So does this mean that Microsoft will stop giving away IE?
Anyone that expects that someone won't collect and archive anything they do in a public forum is dreaming, but usually IRC log publishers get accused of breaking netiquette. Should we all add Lamie copyright notices to anything we do on the Internet? (Yes, yes, copyright inherent, stupid, I know. Tell Lamie that.)
Yes, but they aren't trusting people. The second part of the disc is protected.
But seriously, I'm sure that there were Apple II viruses long before 1983. (I think I even remember my reaction of "Huh? That's old news" to this presentation 20 years ago.)
But are there coffee and donuts?
They should have informed people that they were doing this and allowed a procedure for whitelisting. Why is your teacher using a .com.br connection?
There must be more to this, I can't imagine Verio (of all people) suddenly dropping all packets from a /16 range simply for spammer pages.
Verio blocking HTTP access to other people's spam pages? I have I wandered into another universe again?
I guess these phones are a good idea "for people who only need a cell phone for a short period of time". If I dispose of them and return the phone, can I get the $5?
Of course with my luck, I'll go to Hell for it and then .. "Hi! Yeah, I'm in Hell.." for eternity. Nooooo!
Almost really. These NEO-communists (NEO, get it?) might like a return to the "good old days". (Actually they probably did it so people would take their picture, it would get carried by newswires, and someone would eventually post it to Slashdot. I hope they're happy now.)
Ah, so Darl thinks he's Zeus now? The thing to remember is that after the storm and noise are done, it's the lightning rod that remains. And he should be careful with electricity when he and his claims is so obviously groundless.
Hopefully this is the result of genuine achevement of clue rather than spin-control of the damage. Well, we can hope.
A number of people have reposted the text in the thread. Meanwhile Eric posted a follow up. (Brave man!) I'll see if anyone has posted a copy to Slashdot yet.
Yep, I can see how you'd want a product with parental filtering for all those doctors and lawyers. :^P
While it's a home product for Magic Box users, it's good that they're getting slapped now rather than later.
* But don't worry, any old website on the Internet can probably turn it off for you.
Nope, can't see that on the box, oh well. Share and Enjoy!
It gets better. What if this was one of their WiFi routers and Joe Latte across the street is the one that changes the flag? Is your Security Sense lurching yet?
The incident that sparked this whole thing off was someone upgrading their firmware on an older box. Possibly new boxes will mention this "feature" in Large Friendly Letters. (Or maybe not.)
D'oh! Forgot the http:// on the URL again. Come to think of it, I'd better not aim a slashdotting at their server. Never mind.
Heh. I know some people who make packet radio equipment that was used off the shelf (the parts were mil-speced and what-not) for the Mars Skateboard. Damned good thing they didn't build this sort of abominat^w feature into their product eh?
* Reverse ROT-1.
# Joe Sixpack, his brother Darryl and his other brother Darryl.