As I mentioned in the article, Inprise can benefit as a 'free rider' for a while, but since contributor code is not under their copyright, the developers can re-license it. This means that as soon as the codebase is composed of contributor code, it could be relicensed under the GPL or some other license, thus removing Inprise's privileged position. --
If you can find a Value Added Reseller that supports the combination of products you want to use, of course.
But, be very picky about choosing your VAR, as many are little more than fly-by-night operations.
Of course, most VARs will just try to convince you that what you REALLY need is what they already offer, 'trust us, we know this stuff!'. Don't beleive it unless they can show you.
A truly good VAR will listen to your needs, and try to support your choice of products with a comprehensive support contract. That is, of course, what 'Value Added' means. --
Your bio references the fact that "Through a cruel twist of fate having to do with federal judges and unscrupulous lawyers there is, for the moment, more than one Robert X. Cringely."
Can you tell us how you happened to get your 'Nom de Plume" hijacked? --
'I don't care what you write about me, just spell my name right.'
This sort of attitude may have worked once, but these days, there's a big difference between brand awareness and brand trust.
While Microsoft may be getting more 'brandwidth' as a result of all the news coverage, they are going to find it harder and harder to atract and retain top talent. They are probably running into problems of that sort already.
While it is probably better to be despised than to be unknown, Microsoft was hardly unknown. and it's getting to be more despised as time goes by.
Consumers are becoming more savvy, and usually don't let you pull the same trick on them twice.
The specific application that I had in mind for ATMs was to prevent hold ups. If someone was being forced at gunpoint to make a withdrawl, a system such as I described would silently alert the security service to check the video feed, and they would be able to make a determination as to whether a response (armed or otherwise) was neccessary. --
So, if I need to log in for some really important reason (e.g. I want to log back in before the rm -rf / does too much more damage), your system will detect that, and prevent me from logging in?
No, the applications that come to mind are things like ATMs that possibly alert a security company to take a look at the video camera, or you could set up your own system to not let you send email when upset (to cut down on flaming). The applications of a mood-detection sytem in conjunction with an identification system are up to the developer/administrator.
The context of a security system determines how various features would be implemented. No formulation will be appropriate in all cases. --
would have a magnetic resonance scanner for your head.
This is the only biometric that everyone has.
Some people don't have fingerprints, some people have skin conditions that prevent hand scanners and face recognition from working, some people don't have eyes (so no retina or iris scanners), some people are mute (no voice print), but everyone has a head.
Also, a dead head will not work, and this sort of scanner may even be able to detect emotional distress. --
Although the typeface design itself is not covered, there is one other aspect of typefaces that is covered by copyright, the outline information in the file.
It is illegal to make a derivative digital copy of a font file without permission from the copyright holder.
This covers such dubious practises as importing a font in fontographer, scaling all the glyphs by %101, and saving it as a new file.
It seems to me that what this requires is another version of the GPL, call it the SGPL or Strong GPL that expands the definition of 'distribute' to include 'deployed on a public webserver'. That would allow people to keep truly private modifications (such as on an Intranet) private.
It would be unfortunate if software written using a GPL tool for public use was automatically required to be distributed in source form. Instead the application could (at the discretion of the developer) be deployed under the SGPL.
Sorry, but by that logic, tyranny was good for the cause of freedom by causing the revolutions that ultimately led to the U.S constitution.
Tyrannies still exist, and regardless of the failure of communism, the transition to a more free world was (and is) by no means certain.
Similarly, although the Open Source movement seems to have 'the tide of history' on it's side at the moment, all the votes are not in, and advocating complacency is a sure way to get blindsisded by the unexpected.
Bad licenses are bad. Period.
How about saying "high crime rates are good, because they convince people to vote for the larger police budgets that are needed to keep them safe". This is the sort of absurdity that this thinking leads to. --
So when the CIA and NSA merge with foreign intelligence agencies to create Echelon and surveil US corporations and citizens, it's ok, but prevent the FBI from doing the same, and it's no-go.
It's all so much clearer to me now, this is all just a turf battle. --
These books start from a point at which genetic engineering and optimization is available only to affluent early adopters, and an additional modification can do away with the need for sleep. These 'sleepless' children have increased intelligence plus an additional 1/3 of their time can be productive. As an unexpected side benifit, their lifespans are enourmously increased as well.
I won't ruin the story for you by telling you how it works out, but I found the projected evolution of human society that the author posits to be very interesting, with many unexpected twists and turns.
Fair warning: the above links go through my affiliate account on Amazon, so if you'd rather not let me have the commision, you can circumvent the link. --
This is a clarification that stems from the fact that the english word 'free' has two meanings, so that when you say 'free software' you clarify which meaning you are promoting.
The first meaning is "free as in 'free beer'", refers to getting an item for no monetary cost.
The second meaning "free as in 'free speech'" refers to freedoms and liberties granted by custom or law.
These phrases are usually shortened to 'free-as-in-beer' and 'free-as-in-speech'.
While there is a lot of software that can be had for no cost, Netscape plugins for example, you are usually not free to modify it for your own purposes.
I want a web-pad with a touch screen (optional keyboard) that has wireless Internet access form anywhere within my home.
The lower power consumption will make this sort of device a lot easier to hold and use due to a smaller battery.
If the connection was high bandwidth enough, it could even be running applications off a server in my home, and it could dispense with a hard drive entirely. --
Now that a reference design for a PowerPC MoBo has been released, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw PowerPC LinuxBoxen and BSDboxen rolling of the assembly lines soon. --
Slashdot Mirror
As I mentioned in the article, Inprise can benefit as a 'free rider' for a while, but since contributor code is not under their copyright, the developers can re-license it. This means that as soon as the codebase is composed of contributor code, it could be relicensed under the GPL or some other license, thus removing Inprise's privileged position.
--
Thanks! I appreciate the feedback.
What did you think of the term I coined - 'reverse fork' to describe what Inprise is doing?
--
Check out this short science fiction story by RMS called 'The Right to Read'.
An interesting take on where things are headed, it's over three years old and remarkably prescient...
--
Well, I'm registered, I got my PIN, and I've confirmed online.
I wrote a short article pointing out some interesting statistics on Technocrat.net, but didn't get much of a response.
In short, although the US has the largest 'Internet Population', other countries are far overpresented in the ICANN registration.
BTW, Lawrence Lessig seems like the most interesting candidate for N. America, what do you think?
--
By going to a good VAR.
If you can find a Value Added Reseller that supports the combination of products you want to use, of course.
But, be very picky about choosing your VAR, as many are little more than fly-by-night operations.
Of course, most VARs will just try to convince you that what you REALLY need is what they already offer, 'trust us, we know this stuff!'. Don't beleive it unless they can show you.
A truly good VAR will listen to your needs, and try to support your choice of products with a comprehensive support contract. That is, of course, what 'Value Added' means.
--
Your bio references the fact that "Through a cruel twist of fate having to do with federal judges and unscrupulous lawyers there is, for the moment, more than one Robert X. Cringely."
Can you tell us how you happened to get your 'Nom de Plume" hijacked?
--
How about some chocolate covered espresso beans? Man, those things are addictive.
--
Bah. If you want a real caffeine fix have a Jolt, and use it to wash down some Energy mints.
:)
Hey, are we wired yet?
--
'I don't care what you write about me, just spell my name right.'
This sort of attitude may have worked once, but these days, there's a big difference between brand awareness and brand trust.
While Microsoft may be getting more 'brandwidth' as a result of all the news coverage, they are going to find it harder and harder to atract and retain top talent. They are probably running into problems of that sort already.
While it is probably better to be despised than to be unknown, Microsoft was hardly unknown. and it's getting to be more despised as time goes by.
Consumers are becoming more savvy, and usually don't let you pull the same trick on them twice.
Microsoft is running out of people to fool.
--
If this lead to standard use of headsets in conjunction with cellphones, we might see two birds killed with one stone:
- lower radiation exposure (which lowers a persons IQ without actually imposing a true evolutionary penalty through hereditary defects).
and
- Lower fatalities resulting from cell-phone use while driving.
Here's to hoping for the best!
--
The specific application that I had in mind for ATMs was to prevent hold ups. If someone was being forced at gunpoint to make a withdrawl, a system such as I described would silently alert the security service to check the video feed, and they would be able to make a determination as to whether a response (armed or otherwise) was neccessary.
--
No, the applications that come to mind are things like ATMs that possibly alert a security company to take a look at the video camera, or you could set up your own system to not let you send email when upset (to cut down on flaming). The applications of a mood-detection sytem in conjunction with an identification system are up to the developer/administrator.
The context of a security system determines how various features would be implemented. No formulation will be appropriate in all cases.
--
would have a magnetic resonance scanner for your head.
This is the only biometric that everyone has.
Some people don't have fingerprints, some people have skin conditions that prevent hand scanners and face recognition from working, some people don't have eyes (so no retina or iris scanners), some people are mute (no voice print), but everyone has a head.
Also, a dead head will not work, and this sort of scanner may even be able to detect emotional distress.
--
I loved the fact that he financed this film from the sale of some valley property. It cost him about $100k.
Is that ironic or what?
--
Although the typeface design itself is not covered, there is one other aspect of typefaces that is covered by copyright, the outline information in the file.
It is illegal to make a derivative digital copy of a font file without permission from the copyright holder.
This covers such dubious practises as importing a font in fontographer, scaling all the glyphs by %101, and saving it as a new file.
For more information, check out TypeRight.Org.
Coverage of a ruling in this regard is at Internet Type Foundry Index.
--
It seems to me that what this requires is another version of the GPL, call it the SGPL or Strong GPL that expands the definition of 'distribute' to include 'deployed on a public webserver'. That would allow people to keep truly private modifications (such as on an Intranet) private.
It would be unfortunate if software written using a GPL tool for public use was automatically required to be distributed in source form. Instead the application could (at the discretion of the developer) be deployed under the SGPL.
What do you think?
--
Sorry, but by that logic, tyranny was good for the cause of freedom by causing the revolutions that ultimately led to the U.S constitution.
Tyrannies still exist, and regardless of the failure of communism, the transition to a more free world was (and is) by no means certain.
Similarly, although the Open Source movement seems to have 'the tide of history' on it's side at the moment, all the votes are not in, and advocating complacency is a sure way to get blindsisded by the unexpected.
Bad licenses are bad. Period.
How about saying "high crime rates are good, because they convince people to vote for the larger police budgets that are needed to keep them safe". This is the sort of absurdity that this thinking leads to.
--
So when the CIA and NSA merge with foreign intelligence agencies to create Echelon and surveil US corporations and citizens, it's ok, but prevent the FBI from doing the same, and it's no-go.
It's all so much clearer to me now, this is all just a turf battle.
--
A good series of books to read is Nancy Kress' 'Beggars' series:
Beggars in Spain
Beggars and Choosers
Beggars Ride
These books start from a point at which genetic engineering and optimization is available only to affluent early adopters, and an additional modification can do away with the need for sleep. These 'sleepless' children have increased intelligence plus an additional 1/3 of their time can be productive. As an unexpected side benifit, their lifespans are enourmously increased as well.
I won't ruin the story for you by telling you how it works out, but I found the projected evolution of human society that the author posits to be very interesting, with many unexpected twists and turns.
Fair warning: the above links go through my affiliate account on Amazon, so if you'd rather not let me have the commision, you can circumvent the link.
--
This is a clarification that stems from the fact that the english word 'free' has two meanings, so that when you say 'free software' you clarify which meaning you are promoting.
The first meaning is "free as in 'free beer'", refers to getting an item for no monetary cost.
The second meaning "free as in 'free speech'" refers to freedoms and liberties granted by custom or law.
These phrases are usually shortened to 'free-as-in-beer' and 'free-as-in-speech'.
While there is a lot of software that can be had for no cost, Netscape plugins for example, you are usually not free to modify it for your own purposes.
I hope this helps clarify the issue for you.
Further information can be found at The Debian website, The Free Software Foundation, and Eric S. Raymond's site.
--
I'm not waiting for a laptop.
I want a web-pad with a touch screen (optional keyboard) that has wireless Internet access form anywhere within my home.
The lower power consumption will make this sort of device a lot easier to hold and use due to a smaller battery.
If the connection was high bandwidth enough, it could even be running applications off a server in my home, and it could dispense with a hard drive entirely.
--
The 'free-as-in-speech' RDBMS arena has another contender, Interbase.
While it is licensed under the IPL (an MPL derived license) and not the GPL, it is nevertheless a free software RDBMS.
This three-way race should prove interesting.
--
If they'll spin off the disputed wireless assets instead.
This would have an interesting effect of renewing competition in the wireless arena, at the expense of a landline consolidation.
would it be better? I don't know, but it would sure be interesting.
--
Oops.
I guess I had my threshold set too high.
Sorry.
--
PowerPC - KILLED
I woudn't count PowerPC out just yet.
Now that a reference design for a PowerPC MoBo has been released, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw PowerPC LinuxBoxen and BSDboxen rolling of the assembly lines soon.
--