Much as I hate to admit it, you also need to include a number of the Japanese companies, for their inclusion in the DVD-CCA (Copy Control Association), which I believe most of the major media manufacturers are involved in, and which has been involved in a number of the cases in the U.S.
Gone are the days of user serviceable electronics.
Great. Computers caught up with cars in less than half the time. I remember my father's car being held together with bailing wire, a coat hanger, and some paper-clips (I kid you not). Try that now-a-days on one of these new fangled cars. Now computers are getting the same way.
Of course I admit that I have been explaining why I build my own system to my Fiance as being comprable to guys who build their own car, so maybe the analogy holds more weight then I thought.
perhaps with any luck this kind of behaviour will force many AIM users to switch over other IM networks like Jabber.
Umm... as the article said, this doesn't affect current AIM users, as it uses an existing (but until now unused) ability of the AIM client. The only people who are going to be in an uproar are the ones who are already in an uproar... the rest of the IM users probably won't even notice.
In order for people to switch from AIM, we need a killer app to draw people away from AIM. Currently AIM offers, IM'ing, File Sharing, Personalized pictures, and Voice Communication. If it weren't for the legal issues, I would suggest embedding a Napster client into the competing IM client.
Re:We don't need NSA's assistance
on
NSA Inside?
·
· Score: 2
Not to flame, but have you considered the possibility that the NSA folks have never heard of your project? I'm a practicing admin, and your post is the first I've ever heard about RSBAC... Further, consider that there may be value (to the community as a whole and your project in particular) to be gained by collaborating with them and pooling brainpower instead of flatly asserting that they aren't needed.
I agree. I've been working with, and administering Linux systems for over 3 years, and this is the first I've heard of the project. Perhaps pooling of resources would be most beneficial. Of course, if there is anything that I've learned watching OSS for 3 years, pooling of resources ain't likely to happen (Linux vs BSD, KDE vs Gnome, Perl vs Python). People like to scratch their own itch, not work with someone else scratching a combined (but slightly different) itch. That is probably the main shortcoming of OSS (not a flame, or troll, just an observation). Of course the fact that you CAN do that is also one of OSS's major strengths. I just love paradoxes:)
Snowballing certification?
on
NSA Inside?
·
· Score: 2
Once they certify a given set of Linux code, could they then more quickly certify kernel patches? (since they would in effect be much smaller than the full kernel), or would the fact that they need to examine the interaction of those patches slow things down? (or would the open availability of the code speed things up?)
I could see a time when a Slashdot headline reads "Kernel 2.6.4 Certified B2" (yes... I know only specific Systems (as a whole) are certified, and not OS. Wouldn't stop Slashdot from publishing though;-)
On a slightly off topic follow-up, I was equally impressed that the last thing Salk was working on was an AIDS vaccine, and aparently he was making some progress.
I've been a vegetarian of varying degrees for nineteen years, and a vegan for eleven. I keep encountering people who tell me that my diet must lacking vital nutrients and I'm going to keel over any day now, but in reality my health is pretty good.
How true. After being a Ovo-lacto vegetarian my whole life (28 years and counting) I've never had meat (I did give up fish when I was 4). I am amazed at how many people who tell me that its an unhealthy way of life and you can't last long at it. My favorite story was an ex-girlfriend who was also Vegetarian. Her mother took who to the doctor and asked him to try to explain how bad it is. The doctor looked at the mother and said "Its done fine for me for the part 35 years.":)
Heck, even my fiance is convinced I'm going to just curl up in the corner and die (despite the fact that when she dragged me to the gym I was able to run her into the ground).
Okay... DeCSS is like a lockpick except the situation isn't like it is in "real life".
Lets say you had a storage room in your house (within a space you control), and its just the right environment to store all your family photos. You decide that you want to secure it against theft, so you think. "Oh. I need a door. I should get locks." The locksmith comes in, sells you the lock, installs it, and gives you the keys.
With a DVD its like saying "Oh. I need a door. I should get locks." At which point the MPAA Authorized Locksmith is sent out to sell you the lock, and install it... but he doesn't give you the keys to the door. Instead he gives you an 800 number you can call 24hours a day to reach him. If you need that door unlock, just call him and he'll be happy to come down, unlock the door for you, wait around and make sure you don't mess up the door, and then re-lock the door when you are done. Oh, and you also aren't allowed to change the lock ever again.
In that situation I know I would sure as hell want a copy of that key, and if I couldn't get one myself, I'd go ahead and invest in a good lock-picking tool. I know I'm happy that my computer setup is Region free (and damn proud of it). Have I played non-region 1 movies? No. Do I plan to? Probably not in the immediate future. Do I dislike the limitations and practices that encompase Region-coding? You Betcha!
The downside to this is that suddenly it becomes Oh so easy for SPAMmers to throw messages to email that, not only clogs your mail-box, but also gets thrown up on your screan (ala an instant message).
On the plus side, maybe it would also allow people to create a ISBHL (Instant Spam Black-Hole List) of those addresses that have been marked as SPAMmers, so that you could easily filter the messages out of your mailbox once its hit the first 2 or 3 people. Might just make the SPAM even less effective.
Re:Good thing they bought that insurance policy.
on
Mir Deathwatch
·
· Score: 2
Most of Mir is expected to burn up in the atmosphere during the fiery re-entry, but up to 27.5 tons of debris are expected to reach the Earth's surface, much of it scattered over a long swathe following the station's descent trajectory.
(from the NYTimes article)
I figure that means you have to watch out for more than just one impact point... something more akin to a lot of smaller, high impact hits.
Yeah... real smart. They deserve to be on TV
on
Mir Deathwatch
·
· Score: 2
From the NYTimes article
New Zealand maritime authorities have for days been sending repeated warnings to about 30 American Samoa-based tuna fishermen in the dump area. But most of the boats aren't leaving.
``The fish are biting in that area and it has been a tough year for them so far, so they are staying,'' Wayne Heikkila, general manager of the Western Fishboat Owners Association, said Thursday. ``I told the guys to have their video cameras ready.''
Most of Mir is expected to burn up in the atmosphere during the fiery re-entry, but up to 27.5 tons of debris are expected to reach the Earth's surface, much of it scattered over a long swathe following the station's descent trajectory.
I can just picture it:
New on FOX!
WHEN SPACE STATIONS ATTACK!
See what happens when an aging Russian space station decides to go on a rampage. All caught on video by some hapless fisherman who just happened to be in the area.
Standards should be something more along the lines of "Out of the box this is how the GUI is set up". WHATEVER GUI that is. When you install KDE or Gnome out of the box they should both have a more commonly defined default. You want to play with and customize that default? Great! Go to it! Add lots of bells and whistles. Move the toolbar onto a second display that is in greyscale and flipped so you can see it in the mirror properly when you look over your shoulder.
Also, configuration files should be in a standard place and there should be more of a common standard for them (at least for basic functions) so that applications can more easily install, manipulate, and configure whatever desktop they are on. You want to add "EXTRA" functionality on YOUR desktop implimentation. Again. Fine. Thats what application specific config files might be for. But there should be a more uniform set of standards so that when Joe Six-pack unloads his new, state-of-the-art, machine, and turns it on (after his son sets it up). He is presented with something that is similar to what his last machine was like (his son just customized his personal home directory, he didn't change dad's).
Do standards change? Heck yeah.
Your right, the user should decide what erratic behavior they want, but some modicum of backward compatibility should be possible too. (not for every feature, but for most of the new 'wiz bang' ones). By the same token, they should start off with a common setup and work from there.
I have found more times than I care to admit that while I am on the road, I will automatically reach for the Transmission shifter between the seats, only to feel empty air, only to look down sheepishly and find the shifter on the steering column.
I'll usually remember where the lights are, but the windshield wipers? Nah, if it starts raining I usually need to think to find them. The radio, HAH. I've seen more makes of radio, then I have computers (okay, it feels like it though). What do I do? I usually spend at least five minutes when I get into the rental and try to figure out where eveything is THIS time. Usually helps a little, but not much, and that still doesn't keep me from hitting the high beams when I signal a left turn.
If you want a Palm PDA that can read mem-cards now, check out the one from TRG-Pro (basically a PalmIIx with a CF slot).
Personally, I'm going to probably wait until my Palm IIIx bites the dust and then move to an iPaq or Jornada running Linux (they are way sweet) so I can understand your feelings. I keep trying to justify it to myself now, but until they stabalize more (heck, my desktop can last 2-3 years without feeling outdated, and I still use my model from 5 years ago without too much problems) I don't see anything wrong with what works.
There was a quick update they did when the IIIc came out that included some new functionality. Neat of them, but unlike any previous update, they decided that if you needed the 'features' you had to pay $20 for the new version.
Not exactly giving me an upgrade (or a reason to stick with Palm instead of going to a Jornada/iPaq running Linux... both of which I expect in the near future).
all of a sudden the cost of one movie ticket and a soda
I don't know where you live but here in New York, Sony recently anounced a hike in the Movie prices from $8.50 to $9.00. I WISH that it was the cost of a movie ticket and a soda, but it barely covers the cost of a ticket.
On a lighter note, I recently had a message on my answering machine, which was a voice recording from a senator urging me to contact my local representative to tell them I was in favor of a particular bill.
From what little I could tell I was NOT in favor of the bill.
I thought that it was ruled illegal for a telemarketer to leave a message on your answering machine (at least in New York).
And to top it off, the message got cut off, half way through the phone number they wanted me to call:)
Maybe we need a visual test on par with the turing test?
Call it, I don't know, Turingv2.0:-)
Basically, have someone look at a scene thats unfolding in realtime on a monitor in front of them, and decide if its real footage, or a computer generated scene:-)
I thought the big issue with DVCR was the filesystem (ie. the part that Tivo said they didn't want people to try to reverse engineer).
I agree though, that thats probably not the hard drives idea. I think they might be planning to use it to cache the program guide, so they only need to send updates, and would allow you to scan as far ahead as they have data. Although a DVCR does seem like something they are probably pursuing.
Well, hopefully with the increasing demand for something reasonably priced for him to use, the OSS community will port some of free word processing programs over to winblowz.
Check out OpenOffice (formerly Star Office). They treat Win32 as a primary platform (along with Solaris and Linux) and its starting to look preaty spiffy and stable. Still a bit left to do (ie. Its still beta, so its more stable than MS Office, but doesn't have all the neat templates yet::grin::).
Once its hit General Availability, I'm sure people are going to work on/improve the MS Office compatability filters, and when Joe-Six-Pack needs to get his home office suite, he'll either borrow a CD from his "Techie Friend" (amazing how much this happens), or he'll shell over a VASTLY smaller number of $$ for a copy of OpenOffice on the retail stores... put out but Sun or someone else.
Given that there's no difference between programs and data anyway, it would be a nightmare to try to draw a line.
Maybe... but does anyone know of a program that takes the data from an ordinary CD and produces music from it? If it can convert a Data CD into a WAV format and then play it, so much the better (since it would presumably play Audio CDs as is, and therefore argue that all CDs are the same. They are all programs/music.) Might backfire though and have all CDs banned via the RIAA:)
Slashdot Mirror
Much as I hate to admit it, you also need to include a number of the Japanese companies, for their inclusion in the DVD-CCA (Copy Control Association), which I believe most of the major media manufacturers are involved in, and which has been involved in a number of the cases in the U.S.
Think "Irish Potato Blight". Genetic diversity good. Monoculture bad.
If you want a more recent example of "Monoculture Bad" think the "ILOVEYOU" virus. (mono-culture is monoculture).
or the recent outbreak of Hoof and Mouth desease in England.
Gone are the days of user serviceable electronics.
Great. Computers caught up with cars in less than half the time. I remember my father's car being held together with bailing wire, a coat hanger, and some paper-clips (I kid you not). Try that now-a-days on one of these new fangled cars. Now computers are getting the same way.
Of course I admit that I have been explaining why I build my own system to my Fiance as being comprable to guys who build their own car, so maybe the analogy holds more weight then I thought.
perhaps with any luck this kind of behaviour will force many AIM users to switch over other IM networks like Jabber.
Umm... as the article said, this doesn't affect current AIM users, as it uses an existing (but until now unused) ability of the AIM client. The only people who are going to be in an uproar are the ones who are already in an uproar... the rest of the IM users probably won't even notice.
In order for people to switch from AIM, we need a killer app to draw people away from AIM. Currently AIM offers, IM'ing, File Sharing, Personalized pictures, and Voice Communication. If it weren't for the legal issues, I would suggest embedding a Napster client into the competing IM client.
Not to flame, but have you considered the possibility that the NSA folks have never heard of your project? I'm a practicing admin, and your post is the first I've ever heard about RSBAC... Further, consider that there may be value (to the community as a whole and your project in particular) to be gained by collaborating with them and pooling brainpower instead of flatly asserting that they aren't needed.
:)
I agree. I've been working with, and administering Linux systems for over 3 years, and this is the first I've heard of the project. Perhaps pooling of resources would be most beneficial. Of course, if there is anything that I've learned watching OSS for 3 years, pooling of resources ain't likely to happen (Linux vs BSD, KDE vs Gnome, Perl vs Python). People like to scratch their own itch, not work with someone else scratching a combined (but slightly different) itch. That is probably the main shortcoming of OSS (not a flame, or troll, just an observation). Of course the fact that you CAN do that is also one of OSS's major strengths. I just love paradoxes
Once they certify a given set of Linux code, could they then more quickly certify kernel patches? (since they would in effect be much smaller than the full kernel), or would the fact that they need to examine the interaction of those patches slow things down? (or would the open availability of the code speed things up?)
;-)
I could see a time when a Slashdot headline reads "Kernel 2.6.4 Certified B2" (yes... I know only specific Systems (as a whole) are certified, and not OS. Wouldn't stop Slashdot from publishing though
On a slightly off topic follow-up, I was equally impressed that the last thing Salk was working on was an AIDS vaccine, and aparently he was making some progress.
I've been a vegetarian of varying degrees for nineteen years, and a vegan for eleven. I keep encountering people who tell me that my diet must lacking vital nutrients and I'm going to keel over any day now, but in reality my health is pretty good.
:)
How true. After being a Ovo-lacto vegetarian my whole life (28 years and counting) I've never had meat (I did give up fish when I was 4). I am amazed at how many people who tell me that its an unhealthy way of life and you can't last long at it. My favorite story was an ex-girlfriend who was also Vegetarian. Her mother took who to the doctor and asked him to try to explain how bad it is. The doctor looked at the mother and said "Its done fine for me for the part 35 years."
Heck, even my fiance is convinced I'm going to just curl up in the corner and die (despite the fact that when she dragged me to the gym I was able to run her into the ground).
Hrmmm.
Okay... DeCSS is like a lockpick except the situation isn't like it is in "real life".
Lets say you had a storage room in your house (within a space you control), and its just the right environment to store all your family photos. You decide that you want to secure it against theft, so you think. "Oh. I need a door. I should get locks." The locksmith comes in, sells you the lock, installs it, and gives you the keys.
With a DVD its like saying "Oh. I need a door. I should get locks." At which point the MPAA Authorized Locksmith is sent out to sell you the lock, and install it... but he doesn't give you the keys to the door. Instead he gives you an 800 number you can call 24hours a day to reach him. If you need that door unlock, just call him and he'll be happy to come down, unlock the door for you, wait around and make sure you don't mess up the door, and then re-lock the door when you are done. Oh, and you also aren't allowed to change the lock ever again.
In that situation I know I would sure as hell want a copy of that key, and if I couldn't get one myself, I'd go ahead and invest in a good lock-picking tool. I know I'm happy that my computer setup is Region free (and damn proud of it). Have I played non-region 1 movies? No. Do I plan to? Probably not in the immediate future. Do I dislike the limitations and practices that encompase Region-coding? You Betcha!
Because most of the time they're trying to get you to agree to something that you wouldn't... if you actually understood them.
The downside to this is that suddenly it becomes Oh so easy for SPAMmers to throw messages to email that, not only clogs your mail-box, but also gets thrown up on your screan (ala an instant message).
On the plus side, maybe it would also allow people to create a ISBHL (Instant Spam Black-Hole List) of those addresses that have been marked as SPAMmers, so that you could easily filter the messages out of your mailbox once its hit the first 2 or 3 people. Might just make the SPAM even less effective.
Most of Mir is expected to burn up in the atmosphere during the fiery re-entry, but up to 27.5 tons of debris are expected to reach the Earth's surface, much of it scattered over a long swathe following the station's descent trajectory.
(from the NYTimes article)
I figure that means you have to watch out for more than just one impact point... something more akin to a lot of smaller, high impact hits.
From the NYTimes article
New Zealand maritime authorities have for days been sending repeated warnings to about 30 American Samoa-based tuna fishermen in the dump area. But most of the boats aren't leaving.
``The fish are biting in that area and it has been a tough year for them so far, so they are staying,'' Wayne Heikkila, general manager of the Western Fishboat Owners Association, said Thursday. ``I told the guys to have their video cameras ready.''
Most of Mir is expected to burn up in the atmosphere during the fiery re-entry, but up to 27.5 tons of debris are expected to reach the Earth's surface, much of it scattered over a long swathe following the station's descent trajectory.
I can just picture it:
New on FOX!
WHEN SPACE STATIONS ATTACK!
See what happens when an aging Russian space station decides to go on a rampage. All caught on video by some hapless fisherman who just happened to be in the area.
Standards should be something more along the lines of "Out of the box this is how the GUI is set up". WHATEVER GUI that is. When you install KDE or Gnome out of the box they should both have a more commonly defined default. You want to play with and customize that default? Great! Go to it! Add lots of bells and whistles. Move the toolbar onto a second display that is in greyscale and flipped so you can see it in the mirror properly when you look over your shoulder.
Also, configuration files should be in a standard place and there should be more of a common standard for them (at least for basic functions) so that applications can more easily install, manipulate, and configure whatever desktop they are on. You want to add "EXTRA" functionality on YOUR desktop implimentation. Again. Fine. Thats what application specific config files might be for. But there should be a more uniform set of standards so that when Joe Six-pack unloads his new, state-of-the-art, machine, and turns it on (after his son sets it up). He is presented with something that is similar to what his last machine was like (his son just customized his personal home directory, he didn't change dad's).
Do standards change? Heck yeah.
Your right, the user should decide what erratic behavior they want, but some modicum of backward compatibility should be possible too. (not for every feature, but for most of the new 'wiz bang' ones). By the same token, they should start off with a common setup and work from there.
I have found more times than I care to admit that while I am on the road, I will automatically reach for the Transmission shifter between the seats, only to feel empty air, only to look down sheepishly and find the shifter on the steering column.
I'll usually remember where the lights are, but the windshield wipers? Nah, if it starts raining I usually need to think to find them. The radio, HAH. I've seen more makes of radio, then I have computers (okay, it feels like it though). What do I do? I usually spend at least five minutes when I get into the rental and try to figure out where eveything is THIS time. Usually helps a little, but not much, and that still doesn't keep me from hitting the high beams when I signal a left turn.
and nobody ever died becuase Windows crashed while they were playing Quake
;)
Oh... Is that what Gates was doing at that demo in Seattle last month. Gee.. guess WindowsXP really WILL take gaming to the next level
The "open source" licence is not GPL - it requires you to do stuff like adding some kind of "made with divxnetwork" header to your movies.
So its like the old BSD license that required your program to mention the source when the program starts up? Not a major issue, if thats the only one.
If you want a Palm PDA that can read mem-cards now, check out the one from TRG-Pro (basically a PalmIIx with a CF slot).
Personally, I'm going to probably wait until my Palm IIIx bites the dust and then move to an iPaq or Jornada running Linux (they are way sweet) so I can understand your feelings. I keep trying to justify it to myself now, but until they stabalize more (heck, my desktop can last 2-3 years without feeling outdated, and I still use my model from 5 years ago without too much problems) I don't see anything wrong with what works.
There was a quick update they did when the IIIc came out that included some new functionality. Neat of them, but unlike any previous update, they decided that if you needed the 'features' you had to pay $20 for the new version.
Not exactly giving me an upgrade (or a reason to stick with Palm instead of going to a Jornada/iPaq running Linux... both of which I expect in the near future).
all of a sudden the cost of one movie ticket and a soda
I don't know where you live but here in New York, Sony recently anounced a hike in the Movie prices from $8.50 to $9.00. I WISH that it was the cost of a movie ticket and a soda, but it barely covers the cost of a ticket.
On a lighter note, I recently had a message on my answering machine, which was a voice recording from a senator urging me to contact my local representative to tell them I was in favor of a particular bill.
:)
From what little I could tell I was NOT in favor of the bill.
I thought that it was ruled illegal for a telemarketer to leave a message on your answering machine (at least in New York).
And to top it off, the message got cut off, half way through the phone number they wanted me to call
Maybe we need a visual test on par with the turing test?
:-)
:-)
Call it, I don't know, Turingv2.0
Basically, have someone look at a scene thats unfolding in realtime on a monitor in front of them, and decide if its real footage, or a computer generated scene
I thought the big issue with DVCR was the filesystem (ie. the part that Tivo said they didn't want people to try to reverse engineer).
I agree though, that thats probably not the hard drives idea. I think they might be planning to use it to cache the program guide, so they only need to send updates, and would allow you to scan as far ahead as they have data. Although a DVCR does seem like something they are probably pursuing.
Well, hopefully with the increasing demand for something reasonably priced for him to use, the OSS community will port some of free word processing programs over to winblowz.
::grin::).
Check out OpenOffice (formerly Star Office). They treat Win32 as a primary platform (along with Solaris and Linux) and its starting to look preaty spiffy and stable. Still a bit left to do (ie. Its still beta, so its more stable than MS Office, but doesn't have all the neat templates yet
Once its hit General Availability, I'm sure people are going to work on/improve the MS Office compatability filters, and when Joe-Six-Pack needs to get his home office suite, he'll either borrow a CD from his "Techie Friend" (amazing how much this happens), or he'll shell over a VASTLY smaller number of $$ for a copy of OpenOffice on the retail stores... put out but Sun or someone else.
Given that there's no difference between programs and data anyway, it would be a nightmare to try to draw a line.
:)
Maybe... but does anyone know of a program that takes the data from an ordinary CD and produces music from it? If it can convert a Data CD into a WAV format and then play it, so much the better (since it would presumably play Audio CDs as is, and therefore argue that all CDs are the same. They are all programs/music.) Might backfire though and have all CDs banned via the RIAA