If they did, they better be ready to face 'Illeagal importation' changes (or would that be 'Trafficing in Illegal goods'?)
On the plus side, I wonder if you couldn't encode the DeCSS code into barcode format, and then just mail it to someone and have them read it in with their CueCat. Everyone in the US has one (dont they?), so it would certainly be an effective medium. Then, all you'd need to do is arange the barcodes in a 'pleasing pattern' and distribute it as Art.:)
If this is true then then mandrake team should burn the lusers who released sold the CDs to wal*mart and jack up the version number to 7.4
Um.. gee I thought the GPL let people download the ISO images and then distribute them provided that they did so under the GPL (like Walmart would care). I doubt anyone released or sold the CDs to Walmart, ISO images of the pre-release have been available the same way that ISO images of RedHat 7.0 were available before it was official. Walmart may have a problem calling it 'Mandrake 7.2' but they could say something like "The official Wal*Mart linux (Winix for short), based on Mandrake version 7.2" and who in Mandrake's target audience of new and inexperianced users is going to know its a pre-release?.
Forget standard for the industry, its more a matter of standard for any 'Contract Negotiation'. Standard policy in ANY industry is to put anything you think you can get away with in a contract, and then leave it to the other guys lawyers to object. You might get lucky. In the case where sections of the contract are just plain Null and Void, there are usually also clauses that say that the validity of any one section of the contract shall have no bearing on the remainder of the contract.
Basically they try to get away with whatever they can until someone tries to catch them on it.
In the case of a Real-Estate lease, or a negotiation for Buisness services this is standard practice, or a contract with your Wedding Photographer.
In the case of Consumer software, where we don't get to see the contract until we've given them our money, where we don't usually have a lawyer handy to review each and every Contract we get, and most importantly, where we have no ability to negotiate the contract at all (basically 'take it or leave it') this is unfair and is likely to become even more scary if the UCITA gets passed.
I'd rather see someone have a poll to list the candidates in order from 1-5 (or 1-7 if you want to include the Rep/Dem candidates). Might be interesting to see, not only who most would vote for, but who their 'next up' choice is.
It would also allow you to theoretically take one of the candidates out of the election and see how the other fare. Of course I was really hoping for either McCain or Bradley to be nominated, but hey <shrug>. Thats why there are third party candidates. <grin>
Mir... the first I.S.S. fixer-up-er?
on
Mir Lives
·
· Score: 2
Is there any value to be had from MIR in relation to the new (and now in theoretically 'on-line') International Space Station?
Usually the biggest hurdle in space exploration is simply getting out of the gravity well of Earth. MIR is already up there. Isn't there a way that it could be used to some benifit for ISS (even if it is only stripped for spare parts)? (or as a last line of evacuation if all else fails?)
Actually I have no problem with sampling in some cases (we use it all the time in some of the Network Management probes that we employ on our high speed links). Your right, I don't understand the math and I would be lying if I said I did. I wouldn't mind someone explaining it to me, though, and I'll be happy to admit that I was wrong if my understanding improves and it changes my decisions.
How would it help with the privacy issue though? You would still need to have some people polled, and as long as someone has to answer any sort of questions, there would still be privacy concerns that need to be addressed.
The FBI used Census Bureau information to help round up Japanese-Americans for internment during World War II.
And the FBI used IRS data to get Al Capone on Tax Evasion.
I'm not in any way trying to equate the two. Rounding up all your citizens and placing them in internment camps is too few steps away from the Nazi's actions in WWII for my taste also, and this is a topic that far too few people in america are aware of.
I hope the Census Bureau tells Congress to go fuck themselves. Otherwise, they will lose all of their credibility.
Okay... Who will lose all of their credibility? The Census Bureau? (Who personally lost their credibility when they proposed 'sampling' and computing what their numbers 'should be' instead of actually trying to collect the information they are mandated by law to collect.), or Congress? (Who lost their credibility lots of times, for instance when they passed the DMCA, but people still seem to try to believe in them.)
I agree that the information could be mis-used but I can also see where they would like the information available, and where it might be useful (and I realize that there are probably other applications, both good and bad that I haven't thought of).
Not to mention an OS where you can log in remotely and its like your in front of the machine without a hideous lag of 'move mouse'...'wait for screen to catch up'...'click on icon'...'wait for screen to repaint new window'...'move mouse'...
Nothing toward PCAnywhere, et. all, but I like the idea of being able to SSH into a remote machine if I need to fix something.
Okay... I'll admit that I don't particularly like the idea of the IRS, Census, and Social Security but is there really any compelling reason why they shouldn't, besides the paranoid (justifiable or otherwise) excuse of 'They'll have too much information'.
Theoretically it would allow them to cross check your Tax forms to try to catch people who may not report income (but are receiving Social Security benifits from it), (or are perhaps reporting 15 children to the IRS but only 4 on the Census form).
Anything has the potential for abuse, but decrying any utilizing of the data for fear of abuse is obtuse. I think its an interesting idea, and while I don't like the idea of profiling people, considering how much you can find out about someone on their Credit Report, I don't see why the government as a whole should be prevented from puting this sort of information together. Now... tell me that they are going to start merging in FBI files, DMV records and whatnot into a 'Citizen Registration Database' and I might get worried... but then again... the FBI already does that.
According to their definition Earth's Moon (hereafter refered to simply as 'The Moon';) ) does not 'independently orbit a star'.
However... your not far off. Some people feel that the Moon should not be considered a satelite of the Earth, but rather that both are planets that share a common orbit around the sun (and also rotate around each other). This is primarily due to the fact that (from my understanding) the Moon is a disproportionately large compared to the Earth and compared to the relational size of other moons and the planets they orbit.
The MP3 Codec is propriatary. The patent holder, after years of not caring, is now demanding royalties from each and every use of MP3 technology, including a penny per download, and appear willing to demand that individual users accede to their licencing demands.
Actually the Code (ie Algorythm) that produced the MP3 formated file was what was patented. The format itself is an 'Open Standard' from the MPEG Group.
Yes but there is also L.A.M.E. which until recently was just a patch to the MP3 Reference Code (which was itself freely distributable) but all the Reference Code (i.e. the patentable piece) has all been removed and replaced with a free (speech/beer) MP3 Codec that the L.A.M.E. group has built.
I compared a few songs to the CDs I ripped them from (using the recommended settings of Joint Sterio where both frames are the same, and Variable Bit Rate encoding). The files were slightly larger then similar files I generated using a set '128k' bit size (5-6 meg instead of 4-5) but the sound difference was incredible. I was hard pressed to hear the difference between the CD and MP3 versions of the songs I used.
The main problem with MP3 isn't that the whole thing is propriatary, its that a Patented method was allowed to be used in the MPEG Group's Reference Code that was distributed to everyone so they could see how to impliment the standard. This allowed one unscrupulous company to demand royalties from people who thought they were using free code.
(from the article)
3. Point out the benefits of a legally licensed, preinstalled operating system. Customers have the original CD so they can reload the software. They also have a manual for everyday troubleshooting, and a Certificate of Authenticity that proves the software is legal. In short, protect your customer and your good name. Sell your PCs fully equipped with legally licensed operating systems preinstalled. Otherwise, who knows what you're leaving your customers--and yourself--open to?
Gee... if that was so important then MicroSoft should let the PC retailers actually ship a copy of that Operating System CD to the customer, instead of a BIOS locked coaster that is mostly useless. Otherwise they are forcing people "in the know" to buy a 'naked PC's and install the OS themselves... even if its Windows.
If anything this is hurting their credibility (is that even possible anymore?)
I recently changed my Long Distance carrier from AT&T to Quest (they've done great and cut my bill by 2/3rds).
As part of the 'sign-up' process they have to have a third party verify all of your information and that you really want to switch.
I was totally serious as call-handler at the third-party form (I forget which) asked me all of their questions, and then he got to 'Why are you switching?'
To which I replied "I'm sick and tired of being screwed by AT&T".
My response caught him very off-gaurd and he spent the better part of 30 seconds trying to get through the rest of the questions as his uncontrolled chuckles kept interfering. Problem was, his boss wouldn't apreciate him laughing while taking a call, so he tried to keep a straight face (phone voice?). I think it took him about four tries to make it through the next question:)
Best chuckle I've had since I told a telemarketer that called looking for me that I was dead.
The Internet 2000 Sept 21 - In a bold move toward a new economy, Everquest has declared that they are releasing a new Distributed computing component, where-by those who wish can log-in and help the company make money at home, by racking up huge on-line times.
When asked for comment those ISPs and local connection carriers responded favoriably with AOL even going so far as to commit to include the component in their new release "AOL 6.6.6", Codenamed 'The Beast' and due out October 31st.
Most users responded favoriably saying "More Everquest?!? Must play!! Can not sleep!! Food irrelivent!!" before hanging up on this correspondent.
Anallyst agree that it could be a risky move and have docked Sony Entertainment 3 Fig Neutons as collateral, in case they are unable to make this new business model make oodles of money.
If this is like Intel's latest roadmaps the destination will probably be reached, but after meandering through a few small hamlets, an out of the way tourist trap, and a few picturesqe look-out points. At which time they will discover that the picnic they were driving to has been over for three weeks.
When I joined the company I work for we had about 40 employees, now we are getting close to 500. Most of us have laptops (being consultants in the field). When we got to about 60 or so we had an IT department that was reimaging the laptops before they sent them to us. We currently re-image laptops that come with Win2K because most of the 3rd party software we use doesn't work (isn't certified) with it, and most people seem to prefer Win98SE. We CAN'T just embrace alternatives because as a consulting company you are to some degree tied with what you clients use/want to use.
Its these mid-size, growing companies (that incidentally often hire the bulk of the tech jobs), that are really shafted by Microsoft "Innovations" like this. Smaller shops don't care about imaging, larger shops can afford to pay (or have the muscle to not pay).
For every better lock, there will be a better thief ! Hey guys, instead of focusing on the lock, please look at the door design.
Sort of reminds me of a time when a company I worked for decided to put 'valuable equipment' under lock and key. So they locked it in one of the conference rooms... that had a three foot span missing between the top of the nine foot walls and the ceiling, and that had a one foot span missing, where the wall met the building exterior wall (because there was a radiator on below the window and they hadn't wanted to work around it at the time).
In the end they had to close those 'security holes' but for at least a fgew months the security issue was laughable.
So, actually, watermarking in SDMI is part of an access control scheme and not a scheme for tracking individual copies. Obviously this is totally hopeless access control scheme since you just need an mp3 player that doesn't implement their broken blocking mechanisms, but it's an
access control scheme nonetheless.
Correct, so by putting in place a broken 'access control' method, they can then claim protection from the DMCA and prosecute the heck out of anyone who tries to produce an MP3 player that isn't SDMI complient.
If you think the brew-ha-ha over DeCSS was big... just wait. We haven't seen anything yet... and the days of the technorevolution seem to draw closer and closer.
THe next thing that Bioware (the company who made the engine and produced Baldur's Gate, Tales of the Sword Coast, and Baldur's Gate II... not to be confused with Black Island, which is the division of Interplay and distributed all the above games as well as using the same engine to produce Torment and Icewind Dale) {deep breath} is working on is something called Never Winter nights. Essentially a translation of AD&D 3rd edition rules to the computer complete with customizable tools to make your own adventures, GM them for the on-line players (complete with you taking over control of NPCs) and the idea of distrubuting 'modules' (ie expansion packs). Check it out at www.neverwinternights.com
Oh... and did I mention that they plan to release the program SIMULTANEOUSLY for Window, Macintosh, and LINUX. (which will also mean that the game engine is available to be used in other products for all three platforms... cool).
For the defendant, it sure helps obfuscate that pesky jurisdiction problem! "The first 4 characters of the command began while the plane was over TN, but the line was completed over Arkansas..."
Oh... so what you're saying is, it should be tried in a Federal Court since the act was perpetrated while crossing state boundries?:)
I'm not sure if its standard on all of them yet, but the majority of the flights I've been on lately (on the NYC Chicago run) have cigaret adapter plugs located between each pair of seats.
(ie one outlet on the two seater side of the plane and two on the three seater side of the aisle).
While not an ideal situation (a lot of us still have only the regular AC adapters, and if everyone in your row has a laptop it gets interesting), but still much better for the business traveller who knows he's going to be flying around a lot.
Slashdot Mirror
If they did, they better be ready to face 'Illeagal importation' changes (or would that be 'Trafficing in Illegal goods'?)
:)
On the plus side, I wonder if you couldn't encode the DeCSS code into barcode format, and then just mail it to someone and have them read it in with their CueCat. Everyone in the US has one (dont they?), so it would certainly be an effective medium. Then, all you'd need to do is arange the barcodes in a 'pleasing pattern' and distribute it as Art.
If this is true then then mandrake team should burn the lusers who released sold the CDs to wal*mart and jack up the version number to 7.4
Um.. gee I thought the GPL let people download the ISO images and then distribute them provided that they did so under the GPL (like Walmart would care). I doubt anyone released or sold the CDs to Walmart, ISO images of the pre-release have been available the same way that ISO images of RedHat 7.0 were available before it was official. Walmart may have a problem calling it 'Mandrake 7.2' but they could say something like "The official Wal*Mart linux (Winix for short), based on Mandrake version 7.2" and who in Mandrake's target audience of new and inexperianced users is going to know its a pre-release?.
Forget standard for the industry, its more a matter of standard for any 'Contract Negotiation'. Standard policy in ANY industry is to put anything you think you can get away with in a contract, and then leave it to the other guys lawyers to object. You might get lucky. In the case where sections of the contract are just plain Null and Void, there are usually also clauses that say that the validity of any one section of the contract shall have no bearing on the remainder of the contract.
Basically they try to get away with whatever they can until someone tries to catch them on it.
In the case of a Real-Estate lease, or a negotiation for Buisness services this is standard practice, or a contract with your Wedding Photographer.
In the case of Consumer software, where we don't get to see the contract until we've given them our money, where we don't usually have a lawyer handy to review each and every Contract we get, and most importantly, where we have no ability to negotiate the contract at all (basically 'take it or leave it') this is unfair and is likely to become even more scary if the UCITA gets passed.
I'd rather see someone have a poll to list the candidates in order from 1-5 (or 1-7 if you want to include the Rep/Dem candidates). Might be interesting to see, not only who most would vote for, but who their 'next up' choice is.
It would also allow you to theoretically take one of the candidates out of the election and see how the other fare. Of course I was really hoping for either McCain or Bradley to be nominated, but hey <shrug>. Thats why there are third party candidates. <grin>
Is there any value to be had from MIR in relation to the new (and now in theoretically 'on-line') International Space Station?
Usually the biggest hurdle in space exploration is simply getting out of the gravity well of Earth. MIR is already up there. Isn't there a way that it could be used to some benifit for ISS (even if it is only stripped for spare parts)? (or as a last line of evacuation if all else fails?)
Actually I have no problem with sampling in some cases (we use it all the time in some of the Network Management probes that we employ on our high speed links). Your right, I don't understand the math and I would be lying if I said I did. I wouldn't mind someone explaining it to me, though, and I'll be happy to admit that I was wrong if my understanding improves and it changes my decisions.
How would it help with the privacy issue though? You would still need to have some people polled, and as long as someone has to answer any sort of questions, there would still be privacy concerns that need to be addressed.
The FBI used Census Bureau information to help round up Japanese-Americans for internment during World War II.
And the FBI used IRS data to get Al Capone on Tax Evasion.
I'm not in any way trying to equate the two. Rounding up all your citizens and placing them in internment camps is too few steps away from the Nazi's actions in WWII for my taste also, and this is a topic that far too few people in america are aware of.
I hope the Census Bureau tells Congress to go fuck themselves. Otherwise, they will lose all of their credibility.
Okay... Who will lose all of their credibility? The Census Bureau? (Who personally lost their credibility when they proposed 'sampling' and computing what their numbers 'should be' instead of actually trying to collect the information they are mandated by law to collect.), or Congress? (Who lost their credibility lots of times, for instance when they passed the DMCA, but people still seem to try to believe in them.)
I agree that the information could be mis-used but I can also see where they would like the information available, and where it might be useful (and I realize that there are probably other applications, both good and bad that I haven't thought of).
Not to mention an OS where you can log in remotely and its like your in front of the machine without a hideous lag of 'move mouse'...'wait for screen to catch up'...'click on icon'...'wait for screen to repaint new window'...'move mouse'...
Nothing toward PCAnywhere, et. all, but I like the idea of being able to SSH into a remote machine if I need to fix something.
Okay... I'll admit that I don't particularly like the idea of the IRS, Census, and Social Security but is there really any compelling reason why they shouldn't, besides the paranoid (justifiable or otherwise) excuse of 'They'll have too much information'.
Theoretically it would allow them to cross check your Tax forms to try to catch people who may not report income (but are receiving Social Security benifits from it), (or are perhaps reporting 15 children to the IRS but only 4 on the Census form).
Anything has the potential for abuse, but decrying any utilizing of the data for fear of abuse is obtuse. I think its an interesting idea, and while I don't like the idea of profiling people, considering how much you can find out about someone on their Credit Report, I don't see why the government as a whole should be prevented from puting this sort of information together. Now... tell me that they are going to start merging in FBI files, DMV records and whatnot into a 'Citizen Registration Database' and I might get worried... but then again... the FBI already does that.
Yes and No.
;) ) does not 'independently orbit a star'.
According to their definition Earth's Moon (hereafter refered to simply as 'The Moon'
However... your not far off. Some people feel that the Moon should not be considered a satelite of the Earth, but rather that both are planets that share a common orbit around the sun (and also rotate around each other). This is primarily due to the fact that (from my understanding) the Moon is a disproportionately large compared to the Earth and compared to the relational size of other moons and the planets they orbit.
The MP3 Codec is propriatary. The patent holder, after years of not caring, is now demanding royalties from each and every use of MP3 technology, including a penny per download, and appear willing to demand that individual users accede to their licencing demands.
Actually the Code (ie Algorythm) that produced the MP3 formated file was what was patented. The format itself is an 'Open Standard' from the MPEG Group.
Yes but there is also L.A.M.E. which until recently was just a patch to the MP3 Reference Code (which was itself freely distributable) but all the Reference Code (i.e. the patentable piece) has all been removed and replaced with a free (speech/beer) MP3 Codec that the L.A.M.E. group has built.
I compared a few songs to the CDs I ripped them from (using the recommended settings of Joint Sterio where both frames are the same, and Variable Bit Rate encoding). The files were slightly larger then similar files I generated using a set '128k' bit size (5-6 meg instead of 4-5) but the sound difference was incredible. I was hard pressed to hear the difference between the CD and MP3 versions of the songs I used.
The main problem with MP3 isn't that the whole thing is propriatary, its that a Patented method was allowed to be used in the MPEG Group's Reference Code that was distributed to everyone so they could see how to impliment the standard. This allowed one unscrupulous company to demand royalties from people who thought they were using free code.
(from the article)
3. Point out the benefits of a legally licensed, preinstalled operating system. Customers have the original CD so they can reload the software. They also have a manual for everyday troubleshooting, and a Certificate of Authenticity that proves the software is legal. In short, protect your customer and your good name. Sell your PCs fully equipped with legally licensed operating systems preinstalled. Otherwise, who knows what you're leaving your customers--and yourself--open to?
Gee... if that was so important then MicroSoft should let the PC retailers actually ship a copy of that Operating System CD to the customer, instead of a BIOS locked coaster that is mostly useless. Otherwise they are forcing people "in the know" to buy a 'naked PC's and install the OS themselves... even if its Windows.
If anything this is hurting their credibility (is that even possible anymore?)
geee. you'd think they need something like a Certificate of Death for that.
I recently changed my Long Distance carrier from AT&T to Quest (they've done great and cut my bill by 2/3rds).
:)
As part of the 'sign-up' process they have to have a third party verify all of your information and that you really want to switch.
I was totally serious as call-handler at the third-party form (I forget which) asked me all of their questions, and then he got to 'Why are you switching?'
To which I replied "I'm sick and tired of being screwed by AT&T".
My response caught him very off-gaurd and he spent the better part of 30 seconds trying to get through the rest of the questions as his uncontrolled chuckles kept interfering. Problem was, his boss wouldn't apreciate him laughing while taking a call, so he tried to keep a straight face (phone voice?). I think it took him about four tries to make it through the next question
Best chuckle I've had since I told a telemarketer that called looking for me that I was dead.
The Internet 2000 Sept 21 - In a bold move toward a new economy, Everquest has declared that they are releasing a new Distributed computing component, where-by those who wish can log-in and help the company make money at home, by racking up huge on-line times.
When asked for comment those ISPs and local connection carriers responded favoriably with AOL even going so far as to commit to include the component in their new release "AOL 6.6.6", Codenamed 'The Beast' and due out October 31st.
Most users responded favoriably saying "More Everquest?!? Must play!! Can not sleep!! Food irrelivent!!" before hanging up on this correspondent.
Anallyst agree that it could be a risky move and have docked Sony Entertainment 3 Fig Neutons as collateral, in case they are unable to make this new business model make oodles of money.
Do Japonese Technofads tend to spread here?
:)
Super NES started out there.
Tamagachi (those anoying 'feed me' key chains) started out there. (arguably a techno-fad).
Pokemon (definately not a technofad... although one I think we deserved after sending "Magic: The Collectable Card Game" out into the world
If this is like Intel's latest roadmaps the destination will probably be reached, but after meandering through a few small hamlets, an out of the way tourist trap, and a few picturesqe look-out points. At which time they will discover that the picnic they were driving to has been over for three weeks.
Its funny you should mention that.
When I joined the company I work for we had about 40 employees, now we are getting close to 500. Most of us have laptops (being consultants in the field). When we got to about 60 or so we had an IT department that was reimaging the laptops before they sent them to us. We currently re-image laptops that come with Win2K because most of the 3rd party software we use doesn't work (isn't certified) with it, and most people seem to prefer Win98SE. We CAN'T just embrace alternatives because as a consulting company you are to some degree tied with what you clients use/want to use.
Its these mid-size, growing companies (that incidentally often hire the bulk of the tech jobs), that are really shafted by Microsoft "Innovations" like this. Smaller shops don't care about imaging, larger shops can afford to pay (or have the muscle to not pay).
Its even better when rental cars have them... and then have a marker that says they are not to be used for cigarettes :)
For every better lock, there will be a better thief ! Hey guys, instead of focusing on the lock, please look at the door design.
Sort of reminds me of a time when a company I worked for decided to put 'valuable equipment' under lock and key. So they locked it in one of the conference rooms... that had a three foot span missing between the top of the nine foot walls and the ceiling, and that had a one foot span missing, where the wall met the building exterior wall (because there was a radiator on below the window and they hadn't wanted to work around it at the time).
In the end they had to close those 'security holes' but for at least a fgew months the security issue was laughable.
So, actually, watermarking in SDMI is part of an access control scheme and not a scheme for tracking individual copies. Obviously this is totally hopeless access control scheme since you just need an mp3 player that doesn't implement their broken blocking mechanisms, but it's an
access control scheme nonetheless.
Correct, so by putting in place a broken 'access control' method, they can then claim protection from the DMCA and prosecute the heck out of anyone who tries to produce an MP3 player that isn't SDMI complient.
If you think the brew-ha-ha over DeCSS was big... just wait. We haven't seen anything yet... and the days of the technorevolution seem to draw closer and closer.
Funny you should mention that.
THe next thing that Bioware (the company who made the engine and produced Baldur's Gate, Tales of the Sword Coast, and Baldur's Gate II... not to be confused with Black Island, which is the division of Interplay and distributed all the above games as well as using the same engine to produce Torment and Icewind Dale) {deep breath} is working on is something called Never Winter nights. Essentially a translation of AD&D 3rd edition rules to the computer complete with customizable tools to make your own adventures, GM them for the on-line players (complete with you taking over control of NPCs) and the idea of distrubuting 'modules' (ie expansion packs). Check it out at www.neverwinternights.com
Oh... and did I mention that they plan to release the program SIMULTANEOUSLY for Window, Macintosh, and LINUX. (which will also mean that the game engine is available to be used in other products for all three platforms... cool).
For the defendant, it sure helps obfuscate that pesky jurisdiction problem!
:)
"The first 4 characters of the command began while the plane was over TN, but the line was completed over Arkansas..."
Oh... so what you're saying is, it should be tried in a Federal Court since the act was perpetrated while crossing state boundries?
Why not make it two-way and use airplanes as weather probes?
Great... just what we need... an SNMP managable 747 (talk about a need for "Collision Detection" on your network!)
;)
Check out American Airlines flights.
I'm not sure if its standard on all of them yet, but the majority of the flights I've been on lately (on the NYC Chicago run) have cigaret adapter plugs located between each pair of seats.
(ie one outlet on the two seater side of the plane and two on the three seater side of the aisle).
While not an ideal situation (a lot of us still have only the regular AC adapters, and if everyone in your row has a laptop it gets interesting), but still much better for the business traveller who knows he's going to be flying around a lot.