I'm also very interested in grass roots politics... I live in SF, what do you expect?
Isn't the Michigan Democratic primary on the same day as the Republican one? It seems odd that state law would allow local initiatives on the ballots of only one party's primary. Of course, Bradley and Gore agree with each other on the issues much more than the Republican candidates, so the Republicans might be more interested in actually voting in their primary. As a registered Green, I'll probably vote in the CA Republican primary (they are open here) because that is the race where I care most about who wins. You can do that even in states with closed primaries... there is just a little paperwork involved in changing your party registration.
Also, why buy a copy of Surfwatch? You're just supporting their cause. Wasn't there any other way to find what sites it blocks (i.e. by emailing somebody in an already censored area)? I hope you can return it for a refund/exchange!
These bots were also discussed in Rock 'em, Sock 'em, Sue 'em, a longer article that made the cover of the SF Weekly last September. The focus is on the fights between the original people involved, as well as the bots. It's all very interesting... hope I don't get sued for posting the link!
You can download and even redistribute the source, but you can't modify it. The license does imply that you can modify this source for internal use only, but that isn't explicitly stated. You can apparently send modifications to the author, who might incorporate them into future releases.
Anyway, Bochs is not free software, in either the beer or speech sense. The "you can look at our code and send us suggested changes" reminds me more of the SCSL.
Even though Stevie Wonder is supposedly not an ideal candidate for the procedure (due to having been without sight so long) at least his undertaking it might draw attention and well-needed research funds for people developing this sort of implant.
Christopher Reeve has done way more for attracting attention (and $$) for research in neuron regeneration and spinal cord injuries than any number of scientists could!
Gratuitous EMACS potshots
on
Interface Zen
·
· Score: 1
I notice Tom flames EMACS for unintuitive key sequences like ^N and ^P. I think he forgets that you can program very context-dependent macros into EMACS; it should even be possible to invoke every command by some sequence of the asdfjkl; keys so that you never even have to pick up your fingers! Come to think of it, I'm not so sure Tom (and Brett Glass) haven't programmed macros into their editors to automatically whip up their repetitive anti-GPL posts.
Speaking of Usenet hacks, I'll nominate Kibo. There's an "intuitively obvious" idea, but one which was incredibly impressive at the time.
For those who started using computers after the Death of Usenet (tm), Kibo would enter any discussion thread in any group in which his name (including misspellings) was mentioned. I don't know if he does this on Slashdot, though!
This guy's mistake was trying to lead a normal life online. Corned beef sandwiches and beer? A daily newspaper? But if you're interested in the kind of culture that you can only find online (Q3 tournaments, slashdot, even day trading) then you could easily spend days on the net. Many guys I knew in college spent 5 semesters constantly being online, not just a mere 5 days.
You didn't mention the coolest part... the user can replace a base WPS class (such as a folder) with a better version (i.e. an Object Desktop folder), and the improvements propagate to subclasses of folders as well. So, if my folders now have extra eye candy such as status bars or useful pop up menus, so do "ftp folders", "compressed archive folders", or other more esoteric subclasses created by a particular program.
The customizability and intuitiveness of the WPS keep me running OS/2 years after IBM decided it would be better off dead. Of course, I still boot up Debian when I want to develop (free) software.
I have submitted fixes to Cygnus also. I was told that the paperwork assigning copyright (to FSF or Cygnus) is not necessary for such small patches; mine were usually only 2-3 lines each. However, at least one outside developer on the mailing list was asked to send papers, since he submitted some substantially larger (30+ lines) patches. There seems to be a legal grey area on what amount of code they can incorporate under "fair use" without a copyright assignment, but I'm sure their lawyers would have asked you for paperwork if they thought they might someday have problems defending themselves from you in a lawsuit.
So, my guess is that neither of us has legal standing to sue if somebody ripped off GCC. At least I made it into the Changelog, though!
Ace, that plug of your website is offtopic spam. I know/. doesn't have a policy explicitly disallowing spam. But, put it in your signature (where it will not be seen by those of us who don't read signatures) instead of appending it in boldface to every post.
Even if your site is not the scam that I think it is (because who knows if you're really giving the banner ad revenue to charity), your posts are about as offtopic as Canter & Seigel's old USENET posts on how to get a green card.
I'll bet if the NSA had secret back doors into all our computers, and could easily eavesdrop on all our electroninc communications, that would protect us from those nasty Chinese terrorists.
You will stay compatible with your old system. Iwin Xetos understands Linux, Windows, MacOS, Novell and AmigaOS.
OK, that's clue #1... you aren't going to run all those binaries through software emulation, at least not easily. Unless by "understand" they mean "will connect to via TCP/IP".
the electronical and intelligent assistant ?Mr.James? will help you
Clue #2... I wonder if "James?" is a talking paper clip?
Xetos Phantom... Special version for iPhantom workstations
The Phantom Workstations... didn't that star Bela Lugosi and Tor Johnson? I wonder if these workstations use Transmeta's new Crusoe chip.
Slashdot has AC T-shirts at Comdex? I knew I should have patented that idea... I was the guy walking around Linux World Expo back in March with a badge reading "Anonymous Coward".
So is somebody giving them away or selling them? I couldn't tell from the line in Starlady's report.
According to the yahoo article, the bill (with digital signatures and electronic notification of consumers) passed 356-66. As others have pointed out, the latter section would seriously erode consumers' rights. A move to drop the electronic notification section failed 278-126. That's over 200 reps solidly sold out to banks and other large corporations on this issue (among others).
The Christian Coalition has a great site to keep track of each rep's voting record on issues that concern them, and has many links enabling interested people to contract their reps. Why not the EFF or Slashdot? Before the 2000 (USA) elections, I hope to see Slashdot/ANDN invest some of their upcoming IPO cash in a "Slashdot slate".
Have you read Stephenson's In the Beginning essay? This is a very thoughtful essay on technology and culture. He also visited Disney (the Magic Kingdom) and had some interesting things to say about corporatization, cultural homogenization, and all the other things that you think about when you hear the word Disney.
Of course his essay isn't "open source" so you can't embrace and extend it. But it should give you an interesting perspective as well as being something entertaining to read on the plane!
Even though EGCS has become the official GCC, copyright still continues to be assigned to the FSF, rather than kept by Cygnus. This is very important for the community, because the copyright holders are the ones who need to sue in case of a GPL violation.
I hope that if RH does buy up Cygnus that this policy will continue. The GPL is not really any different than the BSDL if the copyright holders do not sue in the case of violations. Although this would not affect EGCS because the code to date is owned by the FSF, it could affect RH's other GPL'ed products if something were to happen to RH. I expect RH (like the FSF) to be around for a long time, but it is always better not to keep all your eggs in one basket.
Can anybody recommend a cheap device that can send and receive IR signals, that I can hook up to a serial port, and that has linux drivers? With appropriate software, this could turn into a programmable remote with pretty much unlimited capacity.
I've seen plans on the net for circuits you can build, but I'd rather pay about $10-20 for a prebuilt one.
On 50... the majority of linux users are only running servers? I don't think that's the case any more; at least most "servers" are also running things on the desktop. Of course the same argument used to be made about OS/2... "sure it has 15 million users, but most of them are ATMs, not PCs."
On 51... this seems to be untrue in practice, since there is such a wide variety of apps available for linux which you would never imagine anybody could need. I think "cannot" is too strong; "might not" would be more realistic. Certainly legal action which slows or harms MS could only help dissolve the barrier, just as early adoption of Linux was helped by court cases which slowed down its potential competitor, BSD.
Here are the 2 sections of the decision that specifically discuss Linux/OSS. Comments?
50. The experience of the Linux operating system, a version of which runs on Intel-compatible PCs, similarly fails to refute the existence of an applications barrier to entry. Linux is an "open source" operating system that was created, and is continuously updated, by a global network of software developers who contribute their labor for free. Although Linux has between ten and fifteen million users, the majority of them use the operating system to run servers, not PCs. Several ISVs have announced their development of (or plans to develop) Linux versions of their applications. To date, though, legions of ISVs have not followed the lead of these first movers. Similarly, consumers have by and large shown little inclination to abandon Windows, with its reliable developer support, in favor of an operating system whose future in the PC realm is unclear. By itself, Linux's open-source development model shows no signs of liberating that operating system from the cycle of consumer preferences and developer incentives that, when fueled by Windows' enormous reservoir of applications, prevents non-Microsoft operating systems from competing.
51. Since application developers working under an open-source model are not looking to recoup their investment and make a profit by selling copies of their finished products, they are free from the imperative that compels proprietary developers to concentrate their efforts on Windows. In theory, then, open-source developers are at least as likely to develop applications for a non-Microsoft operating system as they are to write Windows-compatible applications. In fact, they may be disposed ideologically to focus their efforts on open-source platforms like Linux. Fortunately for Microsoft, however, there are only so many developers in the world willing to devote their talents to writing, testing, and debugging software pro bono publico. A small corps may be willing to concentrate its efforts on popular applications, such as browsers and office productivity applications, that are of value to most users. It is unlikely, though, that a sufficient number of open-source developers will commit to developing and continually updating the large variety of applications that an operating system would need to attract in order to present a significant number of users with a viable alternative to Windows. In practice, then, the open-source model of applications development may increase the base of applications that run on non-Microsoft PC operating systems, but it cannot dissolve the barrier that prevents such operating systems from challenging Windows.
Slashdot Mirror
Isn't the Michigan Democratic primary on the same day as the Republican one? It seems odd that state law would allow local initiatives on the ballots of only one party's primary. Of course, Bradley and Gore agree with each other on the issues much more than the Republican candidates, so the Republicans might be more interested in actually voting in their primary. As a registered Green, I'll probably vote in the CA Republican primary (they are open here) because that is the race where I care most about who wins. You can do that even in states with closed primaries... there is just a little paperwork involved in changing your party registration.
Also, why buy a copy of Surfwatch? You're just supporting their cause. Wasn't there any other way to find what sites it blocks (i.e. by emailing somebody in an already censored area)? I hope you can return it for a refund/exchange!
JMC
JMC
Where do you think Al "Gore" got his name?
Yes, the CNN story has it wrong... they've just been doing too many stories on China lately.
Anyway, Bochs is not free software, in either the beer or speech sense. The "you can look at our code and send us suggested changes" reminds me more of the SCSL.
Christopher Reeve has done way more for attracting attention (and $$) for research in neuron regeneration and spinal cord injuries than any number of scientists could!
I notice Tom flames EMACS for unintuitive key sequences like ^N and ^P. I think he forgets that you can program very context-dependent macros into EMACS; it should even be possible to invoke every command by some sequence of the asdfjkl; keys so that you never even have to pick up your fingers! Come to think of it, I'm not so sure Tom (and Brett Glass) haven't programmed macros into their editors to automatically whip up their repetitive anti-GPL posts.
For those who started using computers after the Death of Usenet (tm), Kibo would enter any discussion thread in any group in which his name (including misspellings) was mentioned. I don't know if he does this on Slashdot, though!
JMC
JMC
JMC
The customizability and intuitiveness of the WPS keep me running OS/2 years after IBM decided it would be better off dead. Of course, I still boot up Debian when I want to develop (free) software.
So, my guess is that neither of us has legal standing to sue if somebody ripped off GCC. At least I made it into the Changelog, though!
Even if your site is not the scam that I think it is (because who knows if you're really giving the banner ad revenue to charity), your posts are about as offtopic as Canter & Seigel's old USENET posts on how to get a green card.
JMC
You will stay compatible with your old system. Iwin Xetos understands Linux, Windows, MacOS, Novell and AmigaOS.
OK, that's clue #1... you aren't going to run all those binaries through software emulation, at least not easily. Unless by "understand" they mean "will connect to via TCP/IP".
the electronical and intelligent assistant ?Mr.James? will help you
Clue #2... I wonder if "James?" is a talking paper clip?
Xetos Phantom... Special version for iPhantom workstations
The Phantom Workstations... didn't that star Bela Lugosi and Tor Johnson? I wonder if these workstations use Transmeta's new Crusoe chip.
JMC
So is somebody giving them away or selling them? I couldn't tell from the line in Starlady's report.
JMC wishing I was there
a pirated (I mean, shared with your comrades) copy of Win98?
The Christian Coalition has a great site to keep track of each rep's voting record on issues that concern them, and has many links enabling interested people to contract their reps. Why not the EFF or Slashdot? Before the 2000 (USA) elections, I hope to see Slashdot/ANDN invest some of their upcoming IPO cash in a "Slashdot slate".
JMC
Have you read Stephenson's In the Beginning essay? This is a very thoughtful essay on technology and culture. He also visited Disney (the Magic Kingdom) and had some interesting things to say about corporatization, cultural homogenization, and all the other things that you think about when you hear the word Disney.
Of course his essay isn't "open source" so you can't embrace and extend it. But it should give you an interesting perspective as well as being something entertaining to read on the plane!
JMC
I hope that if RH does buy up Cygnus that this policy will continue. The GPL is not really any different than the BSDL if the copyright holders do not sue in the case of violations. Although this would not affect EGCS because the code to date is owned by the FSF, it could affect RH's other GPL'ed products if something were to happen to RH. I expect RH (like the FSF) to be around for a long time, but it is always better not to keep all your eggs in one basket.
JMC
Hey Rob, can we get extra karma points every time one of our comments is quoted by a clueless mainstream journalist?
and the 1999 FSF ass kissing award goes to... JMC
I've seen plans on the net for circuits you can build, but I'd rather pay about $10-20 for a prebuilt one.
JMC
On 50... the majority of linux users are only running servers? I don't think that's the case any more; at least most "servers" are also running things on the desktop. Of course the same argument used to be made about OS/2... "sure it has 15 million users, but most of them are ATMs, not PCs."
On 51... this seems to be untrue in practice, since there is such a wide variety of apps available for linux which you would never imagine anybody could need. I think "cannot" is too strong; "might not" would be more realistic. Certainly legal action which slows or harms MS could only help dissolve the barrier, just as early adoption of Linux was helped by court cases which slowed down its potential competitor, BSD.
JMC
50. The experience of the Linux operating system, a version of which runs on Intel-compatible PCs, similarly fails to refute the existence of an applications barrier to entry. Linux is an "open source" operating system that was created, and is continuously updated, by a global network of software developers who contribute their labor for free. Although Linux has between ten and fifteen million users, the majority of them use the operating system to run servers, not PCs. Several ISVs have announced their development of (or plans to develop) Linux versions of their applications. To date, though, legions of ISVs have not followed the lead of these first movers. Similarly, consumers have by and large shown little inclination to abandon Windows, with its reliable developer support, in favor of an operating system whose future in the PC realm is unclear. By itself, Linux's open-source development model shows no signs of liberating that operating system from the cycle of consumer preferences and developer incentives that, when fueled by Windows' enormous reservoir of applications, prevents non-Microsoft operating systems from competing.
51. Since application developers working under an open-source model are not looking to recoup their investment and make a profit by selling copies of their finished products, they are free from the imperative that compels proprietary developers to concentrate their efforts on Windows. In theory, then, open-source developers are at least as likely to develop applications for a non-Microsoft operating system as they are to write Windows-compatible applications. In fact, they may be disposed ideologically to focus their efforts on open-source platforms like Linux. Fortunately for Microsoft, however, there are only so many developers in the world willing to devote their talents to writing, testing, and debugging software pro bono publico. A small corps may be willing to concentrate its efforts on popular applications, such as browsers and office productivity applications, that are of value to most users. It is unlikely, though, that a sufficient number of open-source developers will commit to developing and continually updating the large variety of applications that an operating system would need to attract in order to present a significant number of users with a viable alternative to Windows. In practice, then, the open-source model of applications development may increase the base of applications that run on non-Microsoft PC operating systems, but it cannot dissolve the barrier that prevents such operating systems from challenging Windows.