The BIOS memory test is of ABSOLUTLY NO VALUE unless you sprung for parity memory. The BIOS test only tries to send a random bit to memory, read it and check the parity.
If you bought non-parity memory, the test will always succeed no matter if the memory is bad or not.
Patents are also prohibitively expensive compared to copyrights which are, in essence, free (as in beer).
If you belive in OSS there is little point in obtaining a patent. Patents are meant to protect ideas, inventions and IP; this puts them in direct opposition to the whole spirit of Open Source.
If you want to protect software Copyright/left it. Basically what I'm trying to say is NO SOFTWARE PATENTS PERIOD.
NTSC only shows around 640x480 on a NTSC TV due do the overscan (offscreen) area. And while a card that does 640x480 isn't a true Broadcast quality card, if your putting it on VHS you basically can't tell the difference because 640x480 does enter the overscan area on many (most?) TVs. If your putting your video on BETA or somthing else then your going to be using a TARGA (or similar) card and Avid Producer.
I don't know about other states, I'm in California. I have a friend who works security for Macy's Department stores and it's my understanding that while many stores do in fact use hidden cameras, that if your shoplifting and get caught, footage from a hidden camera cannot be used to convict you; only from one of the "Black Dome" cameras.
(There isn't much stopping a store from saying that the footage actually came from a different camera, but that's another matter)
If your seen on a hidden camera usually a plain clothes security officer will come over and watch you grab something then detain you. That way the store has a human witness in conjunction with videotape.
If this isn't a intercept device nothing is. (Directly out of their catalog)
Also known as "Phone Bug"
Will transmit both sides of telephone conversation up to 1/4 mile! Very small size fits anywhere in phone or on phone line. Connects in series and draws its power from the phone system - no battery needed. Great for roomful listening or seeing what the kids are up to! Output tunable from 88 to 108 MHz. Can be received on either a standard FM receiver, or for secrecy, use our FR-1 Broadcast Band Receiver (page 11). Size: 2"w x 7/8"h x 5/8"h. Needs no battery - Powered by phone line Transmits both sides of the telephone conversation
I don't know how anyone here can in good faith support this company! They sell phone bugs. It's not too difficult to see that they are breaking the law.
I am only the Jr. Sys Admin but our head admin didn't want to shut the sites down either. Our PHB told us to "Shut it all down!" we tried to reason but management still had us shut it down. You just can't reason with people who don't know much about computers. It's even worse when they are your boss at an E-Commerce site.
The market will prove who is right, the wrong ones will either switch sides or diseapper.
This is like the old saying: Might makes right!
And that is simply not true. There are many cases where a better technology didn't become standard because it wasn't marketed as well as another inferior technology (can you say Beta v. VHS?).
Some one here on/. has the sig that sys it all: War doesn't determine who's right, Only who's left.
But other than that I would have to say I completly agree with everying else you have said.
This is just another example of how Open Source can improve even proprietary systems. With more and more programs being ported to Be, this is a great thing for all involved now that open source has finally moved beyond Linux and onto a desktop that an average user is likely to use (at least in the near future). I'm hoping and praying that Open Source becomes an uncurable infection in others soon. THEN we will have somthing to cheer about.
Re:Intellectual Property
on
DOJ vs NSI
·
· Score: 2
The problem I forsee is that if NSI claims to have rights to the DATABASE and not the DATA then they will probably win any case brought against them BECAUSE the NSF guaranteed them the rights.
The US gov't doesn't mind stepping on it's own toes, but I guarantee they hate invalidating their own contracts. It sets a bad precedent for a government, any government.
Having a monopoly isn't illegal, using that monopoly to enter into a new business field, however, is. Don't get me wrong, there should be compition(sp?) in this field but if NSI is only protecting a monopoly the DOJ may not have a case.
Slashdot Mirror
The BIOS memory test is of ABSOLUTLY NO VALUE unless you sprung for parity memory. The BIOS test only tries to send a random bit to memory, read it and check the parity.
If you bought non-parity memory, the test will always succeed no matter if the memory is bad or not.
Patents are also prohibitively expensive compared to copyrights which are, in essence, free (as in beer).
If you belive in OSS there is little point in obtaining a patent. Patents are meant to protect ideas, inventions and IP; this puts them in direct opposition to the whole spirit of Open Source.
If you want to protect software Copyright/left it. Basically what I'm trying to say is
NO SOFTWARE PATENTS PERIOD.
That is true but...
NTSC only shows around 640x480 on a NTSC TV due do the overscan (offscreen) area. And while a card that does 640x480 isn't a true Broadcast quality card, if your putting it on VHS you basically can't tell the difference because 640x480 does enter the overscan area on many (most?) TVs. If your putting your video on BETA or somthing else then your going to be using a TARGA (or similar) card and Avid Producer.
Total cost only $20,000-60,000 US.
(There isn't much stopping a store from saying that the footage actually came from a different camera, but that's another matter)
If your seen on a hidden camera usually a plain clothes security officer will come over and watch you grab something then detain you. That way the store has a human witness in conjunction with videotape.
If this isn't a intercept device nothing is.
(Directly out of their catalog)
Also known as "Phone Bug"
Will transmit both sides of telephone conversation up to 1/4 mile! Very small size fits anywhere in phone or on phone line. Connects in series and draws its power from the phone system - no battery needed. Great for roomful listening or seeing what the kids are up to! Output tunable from 88 to 108 MHz. Can be received on either a standard FM receiver, or for secrecy, use our FR-1 Broadcast Band Receiver (page 11). Size: 2"w x 7/8"h x 5/8"h.
Needs no battery - Powered by phone line
Transmits both sides of the telephone conversation
I don't know how anyone here can in good faith support this company! They sell phone bugs. It's not too difficult to see that they are breaking the law.
I say good job to the US Customs Service.
I am only the Jr. Sys Admin but our head admin didn't want to shut the sites down either. Our PHB told us to "Shut it all down!" we tried to reason but management still had us shut it down. You just can't reason with people who don't know much about computers. It's even worse when they are your boss at an E-Commerce site.
You wrote:
The market will prove who is right, the wrong ones will either switch sides or diseapper.
This is like the old saying: Might makes right!
And that is simply not true. There are many cases where a better technology didn't become standard because it wasn't marketed as well as another inferior technology (can you say Beta v. VHS?).
Some one here on /. has the sig that sys it all: War doesn't determine who's right, Only who's left.
But other than that I would have to say I completly agree with everying else you have said.
I checked your link and then opened a new browser window and looked at MSNBC's artical. Did you notice that they are verbatim copies?
This is just another example of how Open Source can improve even proprietary systems. With more and more programs being ported to Be, this is a great thing for all involved now that open source has finally moved beyond Linux and onto a desktop that an average user is likely to use (at least in the near future). I'm hoping and praying that Open Source becomes an uncurable infection in others soon. THEN we will have somthing to cheer about.
The US gov't doesn't mind stepping on it's own toes, but I guarantee they hate invalidating their own contracts. It sets a bad precedent for a government, any government.
Having a monopoly isn't illegal, using that monopoly to enter into a new business field, however, is. Don't get me wrong, there should be compition(sp?) in this field but if NSI is only protecting a monopoly the DOJ may not have a case.