After an election like the one we are - amazingly - still in the midst of nearly a week after the voting booths were closed up, their curtains at half-mast, it has never been so apparent that change to the election process is necessary. After focusing so much attention of the prior stages (ie. campaign reforms and campaigning tactics), it is now clear that the voting procedure must be updated as well. Certainly a system run electronically would be the way to go, but it will be.....
Tough to Implement
The real problem with instituting any e-ballot system is voter acceptance. Acceptance in security, reliability and usability. Every hacker in the country, nay, the world, would be trying to fester it up. Would we have to slowly merge technologies, such as smart cards that are being used in already in California voting procedures? But that didn't allow voters to vote from their abodes - which would truly allow for the
majority of Americans to vote. Michael Moore was right when he pointed out who the American voting majority is - the 55% non-voter. I am a Canadian, and we and the rest of world are looking at America's bizarre attempt at top-tier democracy with a bewildered look. You assassinate - or attempt to - more leaders than banana republics, several elections of the past half century have been riddled in controversy, and now, with the globe spinning on an electronic axis, it seems unlikely that America is prepared to put what is already a hazardous process into the hands of machines that still suffer from potential human error. But is the error real or is it perceived?
Promising Eloquence, Flawed Conclusions
on
Hacking The City
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· Score: 3
An inspired article.
The story of the hacker-cum-zillionaire is still an interesting one, and even more when the hack involved decides to stretch his devout struggle versus holes and glitches to the rest of society. Jamie is a smart man. A talented man. His mentors are impressive, his actions and troubleshooting show tremendous leaps of logic, and his lack of culpability in Netscape's woes nearly believable. He is woven as a man of integrity, of passion, of diversity and potentially a brilliant influence on American culture. Maybe he is. I don't know him. But I read that article. Extremely promising eloquence, and yet...
A flawed conclusion.
We, the loyal to Slashdot and the ideals we structure ourselves in, choose to believe what we want. We are not subject to the same extent by generations of texts and ideals and beliefs stretching back to times unlike our own. Our sense of ourselves, our world and our ethic grows with us in a dramatic fashion unseen before. It is therefore easy to assume that a hacker could shape his world through small corrections and manipulations, as he might a line of code in a sea of a program, correcting and manipulating. But time looks to craft a different lesson. One of men and women who became wealthy
too fast, ones who yielded power too soon, and ones that were allowed to believe they had all the answers simply by being able to think dynamically within a certain context. If Jamie wanted to revolutionize culture or SanFran or the club industry or the bylaw regarding how late a club stays open, he would have pointed his passions there, but these are secondary concerns. He is obviously afraid to face what he really needs to tackle. The love that built him and shattered him: code. I hope he finds his way back and doesn't show the arrogant pride he seems capable of if and when his experiment fails. Remember Jamie, and all hackers, changing code is relatively new - social change is not. It's hard. More than 18 hours of staring at code hard. It's 18,000 years of human development hard. And we haven't even laid down a solid framework yet.
Change a coming....eventually
on
eLection '04
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· Score: 1
No question a change is coming. Clearly there must be a more "fool-proof" method in which to cast your vote, espeically in a time where more people are reaching towards the middle and it is less likely that any candidate will attract overwhelming majorities. However, I believe that any encryption model will not work just yet. The first move will still be to visit the polling station, but there it will be registered with a simple, straight-forward, computerized technique. Any thoughts?
Well in a round about way I suppose it helps Napster and filesharers but I'm not impressed with the ruling either. I believe that eBay has a certain responsibility to the marketplace to which it caters. There oughtta be a screening process, particularly if we're supposed to declare our purchases alongside our income tax and so on. We have to co-operate legally in the marketplace, shouldn't our content, product and service providers?
There is an almost pompous distinction made often by Slashdot and its audience that the music industry (ie. the 5, eh-hem, 4 majors) have no idea what's going on with this crazy new internet thing and that these albeit dinosaur companies haven't learned anything in the past few years. Well sorry to inform you - they have.
The idea that..."...what's going on here is that the music industry establishment are absolutely terrified of the internet...and are trying to force things to continue to be done as if turn-of-the-century technology was all we had to work with...." is absolute garbage. Any business enjoys when their task of promotion, distribution and production is simplified. The music industry is licking their lips when it comes to the "new" technologies; it is the ignorant or egotistical audience member that believes their dinky mynameiswhatever.com streaming audio has a chance to foil Universal or Sony.
If you look at the breakdown of how a record company makes it's living, singles do not even make the radar. Napster is the greatest promotional tool and the labels are starting to realize it. Trouble is, they can't say they realize or else it opens the floodgates for everyone to accept pirated, viral transmissions of their audio content as the norm, even though it is not and will not make a dent in their own sales. Even the thought of encryption hackers making the world's produced music free for all of us no matter what legislation comes down...well since when is the music industry the one we all want to injure? It certainly isn't a great one, it's full of horrible top-heavy leadership and tons of manipulated, exploited, abused artists but at least it's people pushing art, expressing themselves and so on. I personally know the CEO of one of the largest hip-hop labels (Priority) that was bought by EMI, and he is not a cool guy. I don't really like knowing him in fact. But even in his arrogance, he still finds some time to enjoy the music, and I'm not sure he's the first crooked CEO I feel like attacking. What about guns? Where are all the discussions of new "smart-gun" technologies that are actually more dangerous? What about the real crippling topics other than our snide, sarcastic feel that WE Slasdotters and techies and filesharers (oh my!) are toppling the hated industry? I'd rather topple Brown & Williamson before BMG any day.
As a young father and a tech professional, daycare on the job is important to me, but rarely even an option. My feeling is that the lack of daycare is directly due to the lack of corporate loyalty among the tech industry. Most of us are essentially hired guns; freelancers who are loyal to our community and our focus, but rarely to our company. Thus, due to high turnover and an unreasonable focus on providing $200 gadgets to people earning six figure salaries (as a means of luring them), there is little focus on the elemental pillars of life (ie. techie's with family responsibilities, personal necessities, physical abnormalities, etc.). The real question is this.....while we bicker about whether there is such a thing as a virtual community, can anyone even explain to me whether there is a REAL, non-abstracted techie community?
It's true, all in one devices do tend to stink but this one has the makings of an exception to the rule. If we could figure out a way to gain remote access then we'd be sailing. Also, is their a way to hook up a longer corded controller to the main box? One of the troubles I've had with nearly every game system is the lack of length to the cords. They always get pulled taut and wind up knocking the bong off the table.
This is definitely a topic long since covered on Slashdot. I'm not sure about the info listed in the article though. Kinda sketchy. Can anyone elaborate on this?
George Doubleyou has not heard of Slashdot. I have been lambasted in the past for mentioning that his laptop is actually a portable aquarium, but on this one I'm sure: George doesn't have a clue as to what this exchange is all about. And evidently neither does his press secretary (or the Natural Law Party man, who I believe has chosen to vote Libertarian anyways).
It was hard to even take a crack at this irrelevant yarn, what with this, George's opening rant on drugs in America:
"...if elected president I pledge a renewed commitment to fight the war on drugs.
Doesn't he know we don't fight wars anymore? We play Space Invaders now thank you.
"...I have a plan that includes $2.767 billion in new initiatives to help parents, teachers, and faith-based leaders influence children to steer clear of the evils of the drug culture.
George, you're not fooling any of us. You haven't the foggiest clue what culture or community is all about with your segregationist meanderings and your public cowtowing. What you're thinking of is a conglomeration of folks who live on the same street, send their kids to the same schools, but don't even say hello when they bring their traszh to the stoop. That's the American way. Why don't you put that money into tracking down deadbeat dads, giving our nation's high school teacher's some oratorial lessons and doing whatever you GOD-well can to keep faith out of the domain of authority.
I'd go on, but why bother? George's nose, er face, is red already.
I'm familiar with XML certainly, but most decidedly not with SOAP. That link didn't provide me with wanted I needed to know either. Can anyone give me the real lowdown?
Just a thought for the rumored convergence happening in the gaming industry. It seems to me that if "Sega is announcing that they will be licensing the Dreamcast hardware design and shift their focus to software development" then the rumors of a potential Nintendo/Sega merger seem a little more likely to me. Plus, any mention of Sega planning "to provide game software for rival makers' consoles" is as much as I need to hear to realize that they've reached a fiscal low point of such potential danger that it may just be time for the merger. Anyone hear anything new on this front? Or should I just wait for Roblimo to send a query to Sega HQ and see if a press secretary's secretary will respond with a form letter regarding a completely different subject which he will post for us, kind man that he is.
This is ridiculous. At least it's better than a socialist and a libertarian, but it's still a pretty weak post. As much as I'm sure all Slashdotters are deeply concerned about the thoughts and devotions of Ralph's press secretary (or more likely the press secretary's secretary), this is a load of election-trail gobbledegook that no one with any kind of authority sanctioned. I'm starting to wish Ross Perot was back in the third party saddle.
It's nice to see that Slashdot has grown rampant with a series of mindless political postings. The "consensual hallucination" discussed in this story is just hogwash. The making of an issue such as technology to be on par with, say, medicare, is just the collective Slashdot ego massaging itself. I would rather hear how Slashdotters with reinvent the system rather than just bitch about it.
It was inevitable that Napster would cut deals with the 5 (eh-hem 4) majors, Universal, EMI, BMG, Sony and Warner. As it has come under heavy fire, it is its only chance for survival. But what of Apple Soup? It was supposed to be the great new filesharing device from the "makers of Napster"? Anybody know if this is anything more than smoke and mirrors?
Could someone explain to me Slashdot's obsession with the CueCat? Since when is bar code tech the most important thing going? It isn't and won't take off, and I challenge one Slashdotter to give me a decent indication that there is any chance for this ridiculous system. Now meta-fingerprinting...there's a tech that should be discussed. But I guess none of the editorial staff has shared in the MIT audio encryption tech. Well at least for now.
I'm not sure what the benefit of open-sourcing this one is anyways. It doesn't seem to be clearly explained in the summation either. Can someone dumb it down for me? I understand that using the policy language, an administrator can define certain precepts/rules as pertain to directories, etc., but what are the actual benefits to open-sourcing this. Do you think they might have done it just to get on Slashdot?
I'm not sure where the relation is (perhaps someone could tell me how Black Star comes to Perl), but I'm fairly pleased to see Damian Conway be sponsored to pursue cool Perl projects. But how about those that are unsponsored? Anyone have a cool one in need of collaborators (eh-hem) or funding?
Well I was pleasantly surprised to see this post on Slashdot. I have worked on behalf of D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) in SouthWestern Ontario for some time, and in fact did some tutorial efforts in SouthCentral Los Angeles for the two years I spent there. I think it's a great program, in intention, but it is also incredibly flawed. I personally have not noticed any drop-off in binge drinking and more prevalent still, in dangerous second-tier experimentation (the chronically addictive tier of narcotics). The real question I have with federal elections upcoming in both Canada and the United States is: when will a candidate step forward with the courage to match the growing public conviction that narcotics need to be decriminalized (but still regulated)?
As a Canadian, I was wondering if anyone knew about patent laws up here, and whether much precedent had been set regarding Canadian open-source projects (or North American, etc. projects that could be used as benchmarks/precedent if one were to apply for a patent).
Quite a bit of coverage on this device...if it wasn't Slashdot I would assume a lack of editorial integrity (perhaps these are advertorials).
My concerns voiced, on with the focus of this post. I live in Canada, Toronto specifically, and the PS2 launch is huge here too. With Christmas consumerist madness well on its way, I too have been swept up in the hype. London, Ontaio, roughly 2 hours west from Toronto, has long been considered the ultimate test market in North America. It supposedly makes for a wonderful sample market and every kind of company from fast food companies testing new products (ie. McDonald's delivery) to banks testing new services (ie. drive-thru banking) were first launched there. The PS2 is no different. Consoles have been popping up there. I'm not sure if any media coverage has been done but two associates of mine who live there have been involved in the test sample, so it's for real.
As I scanned over this post, my eyes began to glaze. Another few random candidates with randome candidate slogans and messages. Not having a mission for the country, not trying to herd us like the big 2+1, thinking drugs should be decriminalized, so on and so forth. But Browne's parting words woke me up (here they are in case you didn't make it to the end):
"...(Government) doesn't aid progress, it hinders it. Government is politics, not progress. Government is bureaucracy, inefficiency, and brute force. It is the least desirable, least effective and least likely to succeed means of getting anything accomplished."
Just brilliant Mr. Browne. Only one question: Then why the heck are you in politics?
Just thought I would mention that I just walked in from the Toronto Maple Leaf trouncing of the expansion Minnesota Wild and, like the geek I am, surfed on to Slashdot immediately. Lo and behold, my night has been centered around PS2. I think it was the major sponsor at the game tonight, pushing its new titles - Tony Hawk is still the best - and then some. Anyway, it actually crossed my mind that PS2 could go in a similar direction as Beta has so I wanted to share my enthusiasm with you folk. What's your favorite title by the by?
Where is the listing of the year's best games? This post was definitely not newsworthy enough to warrant only the negative side. Slashdotters need to learn to give praise as well. Yes, Daikatana was the worst game in gaming history. But what about Tony Hawk for Playstation? I think that game has the best continuity and feel of any sports game I've ever played. What else have the makers of that game put out?
I've heard similar reports but I tend to among the doubtful. First off, I'm not even sure how one would go about "open-sourcing" Java since that would be blurring the line of specs and programs, and there really doesn't seem to be much argument there. That said, if the specs were modifiable, there would be some use to the ballyhoo. The second point to be made is related to Sun itself, and the high level of unlikeliness in that company releasing the entire source code. Any thoughts?
Slashdot Mirror
- After an election like the one we are - amazingly - still in the midst of nearly a week after the voting booths were closed up, their curtains at half-mast, it has never been so apparent that change to the election process is necessary. After focusing so much attention of the prior stages (ie. campaign reforms and campaigning tactics), it is now clear that the voting procedure must be updated as well. Certainly a system run electronically would be the way to go, but it will be.....
Tough to ImplementO P E N___S O U R C E___H U M O R
- The story of the hacker-cum-zillionaire is still an interesting one, and even more when the hack involved decides to stretch his devout struggle versus holes and glitches to the rest of society. Jamie is a smart man. A talented man. His mentors are impressive, his actions and troubleshooting show tremendous leaps of logic, and his lack of culpability in Netscape's woes nearly believable. He is woven as a man of integrity, of passion, of diversity and potentially a brilliant influence on American culture. Maybe he is. I don't know him. But I read that article. Extremely promising eloquence, and yet...
A flawed conclusion.O P E N___S O U R C E___H U M O R
O P E N___S O U R C E___H U M O R
O P E N___S O U R C E___H U M O R
The idea that..."...what's going on here is that the music industry establishment are absolutely terrified of the internet...and are trying to force things to continue to be done as if turn-of-the-century technology was all we had to work with...." is absolute garbage. Any business enjoys when their task of promotion, distribution and production is simplified. The music industry is licking their lips when it comes to the "new" technologies; it is the ignorant or egotistical audience member that believes their dinky mynameiswhatever.com streaming audio has a chance to foil Universal or Sony.
If you look at the breakdown of how a record company makes it's living, singles do not even make the radar. Napster is the greatest promotional tool and the labels are starting to realize it. Trouble is, they can't say they realize or else it opens the floodgates for everyone to accept pirated, viral transmissions of their audio content as the norm, even though it is not and will not make a dent in their own sales. Even the thought of encryption hackers making the world's produced music free for all of us no matter what legislation comes down...well since when is the music industry the one we all want to injure? It certainly isn't a great one, it's full of horrible top-heavy leadership and tons of manipulated, exploited, abused artists but at least it's people pushing art, expressing themselves and so on. I personally know the CEO of one of the largest hip-hop labels (Priority) that was bought by EMI, and he is not a cool guy. I don't really like knowing him in fact. But even in his arrogance, he still finds some time to enjoy the music, and I'm not sure he's the first crooked CEO I feel like attacking. What about guns? Where are all the discussions of new "smart-gun" technologies that are actually more dangerous? What about the real crippling topics other than our snide, sarcastic feel that WE Slasdotters and techies and filesharers (oh my!) are toppling the hated industry? I'd rather topple Brown & Williamson before BMG any day.
O P E N___S O U R C E___H U M O R
O P E N___S O U R C E___H U M O R
O P E N___S O U R C E___H U M O R
O P E N___S O U R C E___H U M O R
Doesn't he know we don't fight wars anymore? We play Space Invaders now thank you.
"...I have a plan that includes $2.767 billion in new initiatives to help parents, teachers, and faith-based leaders influence children to steer clear of the evils of the drug culture.
George, you're not fooling any of us. You haven't the foggiest clue what culture or community is all about with your segregationist meanderings and your public cowtowing. What you're thinking of is a conglomeration of folks who live on the same street, send their kids to the same schools, but don't even say hello when they bring their traszh to the stoop. That's the American way. Why don't you put that money into tracking down deadbeat dads, giving our nation's high school teacher's some oratorial lessons and doing whatever you GOD-well can to keep faith out of the domain of authority.
I'd go on, but why bother? George's nose, er face, is red already.
O P E N___S O U R C E___H U M O R
O P E N___S O U R C E___H U M O R
O P E N___S O U R C E___H U M O R
O P E N___S O U R C E___H U M O R
O P E N___S O U R C E___H U M O R
O P E N___S O U R C E___H U M O R
O P E N___S O U R C E___H U M O R
the man who put the BOP in the BOP-SHIBOP-SHIBOP
the man who put the BOP in the BOP-SHIBOP-SHIBOP
My Second Vote Was For Gore
My Second Vote Was For Gore
My Second Vote Was For Gore
My concerns voiced, on with the focus of this post. I live in Canada, Toronto specifically, and the PS2 launch is huge here too. With Christmas consumerist madness well on its way, I too have been swept up in the hype. London, Ontaio, roughly 2 hours west from Toronto, has long been considered the ultimate test market in North America. It supposedly makes for a wonderful sample market and every kind of company from fast food companies testing new products (ie. McDonald's delivery) to banks testing new services (ie. drive-thru banking) were first launched there. The PS2 is no different. Consoles have been popping up there. I'm not sure if any media coverage has been done but two associates of mine who live there have been involved in the test sample, so it's for real.
My Second Vote Was For Gore
"...(Government) doesn't aid progress, it hinders it. Government is politics, not progress. Government is bureaucracy, inefficiency, and brute force. It is the least desirable, least effective and least likely to succeed means of getting anything accomplished."
Just brilliant Mr. Browne. Only one question: Then why the heck are you in politics?
My Second Vote Was For Gore
My Second Vote Was For Gore
My Vote's On This Doofus
My Vote's On This Doofus