Get past the religion of FOSS for a second. GPLv3 is telling a group of users aka the developers how they can use GPLv3 software. So some developers have found a loophole. My post doesn't have anything to do with if FSF is right or wrong. It has everything to do with the futility of trying to write some agreement that limits the use of digital technology.
For example if I really wanted to make a closed device all I would need to do is create my own CPU. I then make my own code generator for GCC. I then compile my Linux distro using that GCC and put it on my device. Sure you can have the source to my OS but since I am not going to distribute GCC I don't have to give you my compiler or document my CPU. If you are willing to reverse engineer my CPUs ISA then you could write your won GCC and then compile the GPL code I wrote. But I don't even have to create my own hardware CPU I could create a VM with a JIT for the bitecode not GPL that and run it on a standard CPU. Just like DRM it is war that can not be one with legal writing.
You are trying to use the law to stop people from using technology. You make rules that say you can not make a hard to modify device that runs Linux like a Tivo. They make it hard to copy a DVD. Both groups will find a technical way around the problem. The sad thing is that GPLv3 treats "professional" systems differently than "consumer" systems! May both sides have fun trying to write around technology.
As far as the GPU is concerned yes. But you have the full power of the CPU available. The problem is that the CPU isn't that great if you don't use the SPEs. Now if they ever port the codecs to use the SPEs then the PS3 should be a transcoding monster.
No worse that Windows which loads a crap load of stuff that my never get used. The JVM is an entire environment. Now that Java is becoming FOSS I keep hoping we will have the option of compiling our Java programs and linking just what we need. It will mean that they will not have the option of dynamically loading classes but many applications can live with that.
For many devices that is true. The problem is many devices are now using the CPU of the computer to do a lot of the work that used to be in the device. Modems and printers come to mind. But when you are talking about sound cards, raid controllers, video cards, and even multi-function printers I think will be living with drivers for a long time.
1. A stable API and a stable ABI are not mutually exclusive. I would say that you must have a stable API to have a stable ABI! 2. A script to compile the driver? Are you new to Linux? They almost always come with a script but not everyone has gcc installed or even the correct version of GCC. You can not just compile drivers and use them off the disk. Every driver I have ever worked with must have the kernel source installed and you must build the driver for the kernel. Sometimes you can use the force option to load a module for a different kernel version but it really isn't recommended. 3. Sure a well written FOSS driver will end up in the Kernel someday. But when will the distributions pick it up? How can you support a piece of hardware under Linux when you have NO IDEA if it will work? You can not make money off a $50 webcam or a $100 video card if you have to have teach support walk your customers through compiling a new kernel. 4. We are talking about the desktop here. Things just need to work. Compiling, scripts, kernel sources??? Get a grip people that isn't the real world more PCs today. The way it needs to work is. New Hardware detected. Please insert disk. The lack of a stable ABI has NOT STOPPED CLOSED DRIVERS! Nvidia, ATI, and some Intel drivers are in at least part closed source. The lack of an ABI just makes end users lives harder and hardware makers lives next to impossible. I don't care if you want to limit the ABI only FOSS drivers! I think that would be a mistake but that is my opinion. I just want to see life for the end user made simpler so I don't have too write software under windows anymore!
Well since I am dyslexic no I sucked at spelling in school. This is slashdot so I don't spend the huge amount of time I would spend to proof my formal writing. As to taking me seriously. Well that is up to you. If you can get past my spelling I think you will find that that my information is very accurate. Of course you probably think people would pay more attention to Steven Hawking if he was a better public speaker.
And in 1930 many people said the same thing about electricity and telephones. You can without both but can you thrive? Every school, library, county and city office should have broadband access. They need it as much as they need a telephone and or electricity. The next step from there is to work out how to get connectivity to the population. We have all been paying a fee on our phone bills to help the poor telcos roll out broadband. To me it looks like they have been pocketing it. Every shop, school, factory, and office can benefit from internet access. Even if it is just to get updates for software. This is the twenty first century!
Swing made it easy to write bad code. I actually like Swing as a toolkit. The one problem for java applications is still startup time. I just don't know what can be done about that except preloading java at boot. Which is a waste if you are not running a java app that day.
salt water batteries where used by the Navy for torpedoes. To get a good power density they used a lot of silver so they where not cheap but then they where for torpedoes. Could you charge your battery? How many times? So probably not really practical but great for a school project.
Actually I had a raid card from 3-Ware that didn't make into the Kernel from Suse so I had to compile it to get my server running after a kernel upgrade. It was a while ago but that is a good example of it happening. 3-Ware drivers not tend to be in the Kernel. So yes here is an example of it happening. I had to call the hardware company and get the tar ball compile it and build a new kernel to get my server up. It isn't just a problem with getting in to the kernel tree. The problem is that the hardware companies can not package the driver with the hardware! They can not control when the driver will make it into the distributions or if it will make it into the distributions. These are real problems that you dismiss in the name of GPL dogma. Notice I said that even if you FOSS your drivers you will have these issues. You don't like closed source drivers. That is fine because I also would rather have FOSS drivers. But has the lack of stable binary driver interface prevented closed source drivers? Gee I would say that is a big NO!
"I just need a good battery now. f*ck you, corporations." Yea I am sure you will get some super efficient solar cells made by local craftsmen at the co-op.. Last time I checked BP was one of the big names in solar cells.
Trojan 105's are a pretty favorite battery. Or, if your pocketbooks were enormous, you could go with submarine batteries. Single-cell, so 2.3V each, at 5000 or so amp-hours, and they're made to be maintained and kept going forever. Hook 24 of those up in series to your 48V inverter... Actually unless they have changed Submarine batteries are not meant to keep going forever. The Guppy and Sargo cells had a service life of around two years. They where made for high performance not really super long life. Running light duty cycles they should last for a pretty long time.
They don't explode they "vent with flame". The problem is that as battery density gets higher the danger from a failure gets higher. Put a dead short accros a D cell and it is no big deal. Put one across a LiION without a protection circuit and it is a big deal.
Most people buy Windows because that is really the only choice. Go to Best Buy and count how many programs you can buy for Windows. Now count how many for the Mac and then how many for Linux. Go and look for a printer that says that it will work with Linux, WiFi card, Webcam,.... This is from the end users stand point mind you.
One of the big problems for Linux is the lack of a stable binary driver interface. Even if you are going to make your drivers FOSS you can not just stick a cd in the box or post the driver on your website. The faithful will say that there is no need for the hardware manufacture to make a driver since they can just give out the specs. Well yes but then you have to wait for your driver to be included in the the kernel and then for them to be included in the distros..... The hardware people all control of when the support will get to the end user that way. So even if a company creates a driver for a piece of hardware and makes it FOSS they may have to wait months before it becomes available as part of the kernel.
This isn't an issue for the embedded space or servers but it really is a pain for the average end user. Yes there is a lot of really good free software that you can run on a Linux desktop but sometimes you just want to play Age of Empires, WOW, or buy that $10 set of card games at Best Buy.
The lack of a stable binary driver api makes hardware support for Linux difficult for the hardware vendors. 1. They can not include a driver CD with the product that will install and just work. 2. They can not offer a single package on their website that will just install and work. These are issues even with FOSS drivers! I have had to recompile or use the/force option to get drivers to load. That fails the easy to use test.
Well for one KDE and or GNOME also run on BSD, Solaris, and a few other POSIX like OSs. They are not limited to Linux. I do agree that they need work but they are not what I consider part of Linux.
Funny but the Tivo doesn't have a reputation as being hard to use. Linux has a reputation of being hard to install and configure. Using it once set up for a specific task is as easy or as hard as the person setting it up makes it. This is an embedded system we are talking about.
"Religion is responsible for most of the wars and suffering in the world; it justifies men acting like animals or worse to their fellow men." I suggest that you take a harder look at that reality that you charish so much. Add up the deaths caused by Stalin, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot, and Father and son Kim you will see a death toll that makes Hiter look tame. All of them share a total dedication to atheism. Atheism and corner stone of Marxist communism. All those things that you blame on religion has nothing to do with religion. Those things where caused by greed and a lust for power. Religion was just a tool for those people.
I suggest that you get over your hate and get on with your life. Science and religion are not mutually exclusive. I have a friend that is very devout and has her PHD in Geology. You should see her rant at those that abuse science to try and disprove Evolution.
If you are going to take the word "earth" or "world" and expand it to mean Universe which is probably a valid expansion of meaning since at that time those words meant all of mortal existence. Then the next logical expansion is "mankind" / "Children of God" to mean all intelligent / sentient life.
So if the teachings of Christ where taken literally any aliens should be considered brothers , friends, and or equals.
Just to complete your little thought experament for you.
I find the idea of none terrestrial microbes very interesting. I wonder if things like there DNA and ATP will be chemical identical or just functionally identical. Or maybe they have an entirely different function structure from terrestrial cells. Still organic mind you but different from anything we have ever seen. That is if they exists on Mars at all. I want to see what we will find on Europa.
I think that the Viking landers landed at a location that doesn't get enough sunlight for the current generation of rovers. I would love to land a probe the size and power of the Vikings but with modern sensors and electronics.
"Depends on the setup, a decent DIY PVR will use a hardware based mpeg encoder/decoder freeing the process from the CPU, as such, you wouldn't need a very powerful CPU. (This is how TiVo does it)"
That is why I said "Transcode". I would think that in a DIY PVR you would want the option to do H.264, DivX, Theora, or what every might come along in the near future. You could use a FPGA to create your own accelerator for the different codecs but that would be a lot for the average DIY.
Unneeded? Well maybe I don't have an iTV but Apple is all about the interface. They want it to be as easy and as consistent and possible. What I hate about iTunes is I find it very hard to organize my music. I would like to have the options of expanding the list by artist or album much like I can on my iPod. I find creating play lists to be be not that easy to do. And once you get enough music in your iTunes it is a bit of a mess to work with.
Simple. Because of CableCard not really being a standard. Sony doesn't want to have another sales disappointment in the US. People will just get their DVR from there CATV if they want one that will just work however feature limited it may be. For those that want more features and are willing to do the work to get it working then TiVO will be the product of choice. Too bad really. This combined with a PSP is pretty cool. You could watch TV anywhere in your home even out in your garden/backyard and tanscode it for your PSP.
I keep thinking that Microsoft is working with the cable companies to bring the same functionality to the 360/Zune.
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Get past the religion of FOSS for a second. GPLv3 is telling a group of users aka the developers how they can use GPLv3 software. So some developers have found a loophole.
My post doesn't have anything to do with if FSF is right or wrong. It has everything to do with the futility of trying to write some agreement that limits the use of digital technology.
For example if I really wanted to make a closed device all I would need to do is create my own CPU. I then make my own code generator for GCC.
I then compile my Linux distro using that GCC and put it on my device.
Sure you can have the source to my OS but since I am not going to distribute GCC I don't have to give you my compiler or document my CPU.
If you are willing to reverse engineer my CPUs ISA then you could write your won GCC and then compile the GPL code I wrote.
But I don't even have to create my own hardware CPU I could create a VM with a JIT for the bitecode not GPL that and run it on a standard CPU.
Just like DRM it is war that can not be one with legal writing.
You are trying to use the law to stop people from using technology. You make rules that say you can not make a hard to modify device that runs Linux like a Tivo. They make it hard to copy a DVD. Both groups will find a technical way around the problem. The sad thing is that GPLv3 treats "professional" systems differently than "consumer" systems! May both sides have fun trying to write around technology.
As far as the GPU is concerned yes. But you have the full power of the CPU available. The problem is that the CPU isn't that great if you don't use the SPEs. Now if they ever port the codecs to use the SPEs then the PS3 should be a transcoding monster.
No worse that Windows which loads a crap load of stuff that my never get used. The JVM is an entire environment.
Now that Java is becoming FOSS I keep hoping we will have the option of compiling our Java programs and linking just what we need. It will mean that they will not have the option of dynamically loading classes but many applications can live with that.
For many devices that is true. The problem is many devices are now using the CPU of the computer to do a lot of the work that used to be in the device. Modems and printers come to mind.
But when you are talking about sound cards, raid controllers, video cards, and even multi-function printers I think will be living with drivers for a long time.
1. A stable API and a stable ABI are not mutually exclusive. I would say that you must have a stable API to have a stable ABI!
2. A script to compile the driver? Are you new to Linux? They almost always come with a script but not everyone has gcc installed or even the correct version of GCC. You can not just compile drivers and use them off the disk. Every driver I have ever worked with must have the kernel source installed and you must build the driver for the kernel. Sometimes you can use the force option to load a module for a different kernel version but it really isn't recommended.
3. Sure a well written FOSS driver will end up in the Kernel someday. But when will the distributions pick it up? How can you support a piece of hardware under Linux when you have NO IDEA if it will work? You can not make money off a $50 webcam or a $100 video card if you have to have teach support walk your customers through compiling a new kernel.
4. We are talking about the desktop here. Things just need to work. Compiling, scripts, kernel sources??? Get a grip people that isn't the real world more PCs today.
The way it needs to work is.
New Hardware detected. Please insert disk.
The lack of a stable ABI has NOT STOPPED CLOSED DRIVERS! Nvidia, ATI, and some Intel drivers are in at least part closed source. The lack of an ABI just makes end users lives harder and hardware makers lives next to impossible. I don't care if you want to limit the ABI only FOSS drivers! I think that would be a mistake but that is my opinion. I just want to see life for the end user made simpler so I don't have too write software under windows anymore!
Well since I am dyslexic no I sucked at spelling in school. This is slashdot so I don't spend the huge amount of time I would spend to proof my formal writing. As to taking me seriously. Well that is up to you. If you can get past my spelling I think you will find that that my information is very accurate. Of course you probably think people would pay more attention to Steven Hawking if he was a better public speaker.
And in 1930 many people said the same thing about electricity and telephones.
You can without both but can you thrive?
Every school, library, county and city office should have broadband access. They need it as much as they need a telephone and or electricity. The next step from there is to work out how to get connectivity to the population. We have all been paying a fee on our phone bills to help the poor telcos roll out broadband. To me it looks like they have been pocketing it.
Every shop, school, factory, and office can benefit from internet access. Even if it is just to get updates for software.
This is the twenty first century!
Swing made it easy to write bad code. I actually like Swing as a toolkit. The one problem for java applications is still startup time. I just don't know what can be done about that except preloading java at boot. Which is a waste if you are not running a java app that day.
salt water batteries where used by the Navy for torpedoes. To get a good power density they used a lot of silver so they where not cheap but then they where for torpedoes. Could you charge your battery? How many times? So probably not really practical but great for a school project.
Actually I had a raid card from 3-Ware that didn't make into the Kernel from Suse so I had to compile it to get my server running after a kernel upgrade. It was a while ago but that is a good example of it happening. 3-Ware drivers not tend to be in the Kernel.
So yes here is an example of it happening. I had to call the hardware company and get the tar ball compile it and build a new kernel to get my server up.
It isn't just a problem with getting in to the kernel tree. The problem is that the hardware companies can not package the driver with the hardware! They can not control when the driver will make it into the distributions or if it will make it into the distributions. These are real problems that you dismiss in the name of GPL dogma. Notice I said that even if you FOSS your drivers you will have these issues. You don't like closed source drivers. That is fine because I also would rather have FOSS drivers. But has the lack of stable binary driver interface prevented closed source drivers? Gee I would say that is a big NO!
"I just need a good battery now. f*ck you, corporations."
Yea I am sure you will get some super efficient solar cells made by local craftsmen at the co-op..
Last time I checked BP was one of the big names in solar cells.
Running light duty cycles they should last for a pretty long time.
They don't explode they "vent with flame".
The problem is that as battery density gets higher the danger from a failure gets higher. Put a dead short accros a D cell and it is no big deal. Put one across a LiION without a protection circuit and it is a big deal.
Most people buy Windows because that is really the only choice. ....
Go to Best Buy and count how many programs you can buy for Windows. Now count how many for the Mac and then how many for Linux.
Go and look for a printer that says that it will work with Linux, WiFi card, Webcam,
This is from the end users stand point mind you.
One of the big problems for Linux is the lack of a stable binary driver interface. Even if you are going to make your drivers FOSS you can not just stick a cd in the box or post the driver on your website. The faithful will say that there is no need for the hardware manufacture to make a driver since they can just give out the specs. Well yes but then you have to wait for your driver to be included in the the kernel and then for them to be included in the distros.....
The hardware people all control of when the support will get to the end user that way. So even if a company creates a driver for a piece of hardware and makes it FOSS they may have to wait months before it becomes available as part of the kernel.
This isn't an issue for the embedded space or servers but it really is a pain for the average end user.
Yes there is a lot of really good free software that you can run on a Linux desktop but sometimes you just want to play Age of Empires, WOW, or buy that $10 set of card games at Best Buy.
The lack of a stable binary driver api makes hardware support for Linux difficult for the hardware vendors. /force option to get drivers to load. That fails the easy to use test.
1. They can not include a driver CD with the product that will install and just work.
2. They can not offer a single package on their website that will just install and work.
These are issues even with FOSS drivers! I have had to recompile or use the
Well for one KDE and or GNOME also run on BSD, Solaris, and a few other POSIX like OSs.
They are not limited to Linux.
I do agree that they need work but they are not what I consider part of Linux.
Funny but the Tivo doesn't have a reputation as being hard to use.
Linux has a reputation of being hard to install and configure. Using it once set up for a specific task is as easy or as hard as the person setting it up makes it. This is an embedded system we are talking about.
"Religion is responsible for most of the wars and suffering in the world; it justifies men acting like animals or worse to their fellow men."
I suggest that you take a harder look at that reality that you charish so much. Add up the deaths caused by Stalin, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot, and Father and son Kim you will see a death toll that makes Hiter look tame. All of them share a total dedication to atheism. Atheism and corner stone of Marxist communism.
All those things that you blame on religion has nothing to do with religion. Those things where caused by greed and a lust for power. Religion was just a tool for those people.
I suggest that you get over your hate and get on with your life. Science and religion are not mutually exclusive. I have a friend that is very devout and has her PHD in Geology. You should see her rant at those that abuse science to try and disprove Evolution.
Yea just think what Gandhi, Sister Theresa or Cardinal Tutu might have done if hadn't been wasting their time on spiritual things.
Please even if you don't like religon I doubt that it is as big of waste of time as TV, music, or Slashdot.
If you are going to take the word "earth" or "world" and expand it to mean Universe which is probably a valid expansion of meaning since at that time those words meant all of mortal existence. Then the next logical expansion is "mankind" / "Children of God" to mean all intelligent / sentient life.
So if the teachings of Christ where taken literally any aliens should be considered brothers , friends, and or equals.
Just to complete your little thought experament for you.
I find the idea of none terrestrial microbes very interesting. I wonder if things like there DNA and ATP will be chemical identical or just functionally identical. Or maybe they have an entirely different function structure from terrestrial cells. Still organic mind you but different from anything we have ever seen. That is if they exists on Mars at all. I want to see what we will find on Europa.
I think that the Viking landers landed at a location that doesn't get enough sunlight for the current generation of rovers. I would love to land a probe the size and power of the Vikings but with modern sensors and electronics.
"Depends on the setup, a decent DIY PVR will use a hardware based mpeg encoder/decoder freeing the process from the CPU, as such, you wouldn't need a very powerful CPU. (This is how TiVo does it)"
That is why I said "Transcode". I would think that in a DIY PVR you would want the option to do H.264, DivX, Theora, or what every might come along in the near future.
You could use a FPGA to create your own accelerator for the different codecs but that would be a lot for the average DIY.
Unneeded? Well maybe I don't have an iTV but Apple is all about the interface. They want it to be as easy and as consistent and possible.
What I hate about iTunes is I find it very hard to organize my music. I would like to have the options of expanding the list by artist or album much like I can on my iPod. I find creating play lists to be be not that easy to do. And once you get enough music in your iTunes it is a bit of a mess to work with.
Simple. Because of CableCard not really being a standard.
Sony doesn't want to have another sales disappointment in the US. People will just get their DVR from there CATV if they want one that will just work however feature limited it may be. For those that want more features and are willing to do the work to get it working then TiVO will be the product of choice.
Too bad really. This combined with a PSP is pretty cool. You could watch TV anywhere in your home even out in your garden/backyard and tanscode it for your PSP.
I keep thinking that Microsoft is working with the cable companies to bring the same functionality to the 360/Zune.