Remember, the CAN-SPAM act revoked all the state's anti-spam laws, including Washington's. I'm a Washington resident and my inbox has more spam than ever since CAN-SPAM passed. "CAN-SPAM" indeed, now they sure can, and with the government's blessing!
To all you people who say the FSF calls the BSD license "free": OK, then I can use GPL'd code in my BSD applications? Right? No? Oh, then I guess the FSF doesn't consider the BSD license quite as free as the GPL, does it? And, conversely, because BSD code is free to be used anywhere, I consider the BSD license more free than the GPL, which has that "viral clause" which sets it apart.
I can agree to disagree, but so far I've not found one pro-GPL person who will agree to disagree, all they (you) do is agree they're right and everyone else is wrong. Which is why I have a little to do with GPL, FSF, and RMS as possible.
Not really. The threat was that everything would be written in Java and would run everywhere. The reality is that some things are written in Java and they run most places. Everything was going to be written in Jave because Java was supposed to be "write once, run everywhere". It's reputation became "write once, test everywhere, fix platform-specific bugs". I don't know if that contributed to the fact that everything is not written in Java, but it didn't help, and Microsoft's -- shall we say -- unique version of Java did indeed sabotage "run anywhere".
Of course you know that he wrote emacs (it's not a clone of anything).
From the emacs FAQ:"The first Emacs was a set of macros written in 1976 at MIT by RMS for the editor TECO (Text Editor and COrrector, originally Tape Editor and COrrector) under ITS on a PDP-10." So, it appears RMS wrote the original emacs. But the emacs FAQ goes on to say: "Emacs was started by Guy Steele [gls@east.sun.com] as a project to unify the many divergent TECO command sets and key bindings at MIT, and completed by RMS." So I take that to mean two things: First, emacs is an "extension" of TECO, which RMS did not write. Second, RMS did not start emacs, Guy Steele did. So I stand by my statement.
Oh, and gcc.
You aren't implying that RMS invented C, are you? Or wrote the first C compiler? As impressive as it may be, gcc is a clone of compilers that came before it.
Did you read the article? I got the distinct impression that Richard Stallman was once again poking his nose in where it does not belong. He's lucky the folks at OOo are so willing to work with him; had this been my project I would have politely told Stallman and the FSF that if they didn't like my use of Java then they didn't have to use my code. Simple as that.
Stallman believes that if you like proprietary software then you're an idiot who does not deserve to use a computer. He also believes that all software should be "free" (but only per his definition of "free" - remember, to him BSD is not free, but to us BSD folks the GPL is not free, so it's a stalemate) and that all non-GPL software should be released under the GPL. He even goes so far as to clone some software and release it under the GPL, and to fork other open projects that he feels are not "free" enough (i.e., that don't use the GPL). Talk about a waste of effort! Don't add new features to a program, rather re-write it from scratch because you like the code but not the license. He's a jerk who should be ignored, not a saint who should be followed without question. What has Stallman done that's original thought (the GPL doesn't count, I'm talking working code)? What hasn't he simply cloned for religious purposes? He didn't like the emacs license, so he cloned it. He didn't like the UNIX license, so he tried to clone it and failed, then tried to hijack the only UNIX clone with a license he liked (tell me, does HURD work yet? I don't hear much about it in the press) He's got a Java clone going, but it won't work with OOo's Java code so he blames OOo rather than blaming his faulty Java clone.
I must thank him, though, because his stupid insistance that every Linux distribution is "GNU/Linux" so turned me off that I started looking at the various BSDs as an alternative, and I found them so much better than Linux that I no longer have any Linux in my house, just *BSD and Windows.
Now, here in Slashdot I can filter things so I don't have to read my foes posts, but somehow I can't seem to filter it to block all stories about Stallman and/or the FSF. Oh, well, can't have everything. Maybe I'll write a little Java program to do that, and release it under the BSD license:-)
Merely boycotting them won't have any effect, because they'll never know the reason for the decline.
What message do you send when a few hundred slashdotters threaten to boycott them over this, and they see zero drop in sales? Don't threaten to not buy something you're not going to buy anyway.
Yeah, right. Until suddenly your computer runs slower than molassis in January and you can't figure out why. Looks like a virus but every anti-virus program you try says the PC's clean. "Safe Mode" is no better, Task Manager provides no clues. WTF? Days later I discover the BIOS setting to disable the on-board audio doesn't work, that I also need to set a non-documented jumper on the motherboard. Once I do that I eliminate the invisible conflict between the on-board audio and the Sound Blaster I installed and now everything's fine. Time lost and headaches out the gazoo all because the motherboard has built-in audio that I don't want or need and piss-poor documentation on how to disable it. Redundancy my ass! If I want redundancy I'll buy a spare Sound Blaster.
Who cares? Pre-paid cell phones are literally disposable, one-use toys to the bad guys. You don't even need a fake ID, just cash, and not all that much at that. How can they tap your phone when you use a different phone for each call? The best they could do is tap all the pre-paid phones and listen to every conversation out there -- good luck with that! (wanna bet the NSA is big into voice recognition?)
No kidding. If Apple is getting tons of publicity over "Tiger" then what better time for Tiger Direct to make their move? This will certainly get Tiger Direct publicity, which is really what this is all about: brand recognition. They want everyone to think of them, not Apple, when they hear "Tiger." If their web site is visited by only ten percent of the people who never heard of Tiger Direct before this lawsuit, it won't be able to keep up.
Perhaps, but what does the DMCA have to do with it? The very fact that Walmart chose to cry "DMCA violation!" tells me they know they don't have a case and are just trying (successfully) to intimidate the guy.
Yes, I see where this is going. The USA Patriot Act gives the Gummint the "right" to take my stuff without telling me, and now the LoC has the "right" to archive whatever the Gummint takes.
Seriously, you say this is for "culturally significant works." Who decides if my home movies are or are not culturally significant? More to the point, how can they make this decision without first seeing my home movies? I'll bet this law gives them the right to accquire anything they want, then later decide what to keep. This opinion is based not on my reading the law but rather my perceptions of those who make our laws.
1) I'm not an important historical figure, dispite what my ego may tell me. So why should the LoC have access to and permission to archive and make public anything I create?
2) George W. Bush is an important historical figure. Will we see every little thing he produced in the LoC? I doubt it. If we ever see any of it, it will be what GWB wishes us to see at the GWB Presidential Library. The LoC won't see any of his personal, private stuff. Given that, why should it be allowed to possess anyone else's, then?
I've used the soldering tip that came with my propane torch -- I can solder up to five circuit board traces at once with that baby! But you have to remember to turn off the flame before you point it at the circuit:-O
'copy of a film, software program or music file in a shared folder and should have known the copyrighted work had not been commercially released.'
Now, let me get this straight. If I take a home movie of my kid's birthday party (which I know has not been commercially released) and I put it in the "Shared Documents" folder on my home computer, I'm now a felon?
Why is this in the Linux section?
on
Next Generation X11
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· Score: 5, Insightful
To the moderator who rated the parent post "Offtopic": First, the topic of the thread was the moderation of a comment, so the post was on topic.
Second, as long as Slashdot refuses to provide a forum for discussing problems with Slashdot itself, including the Slash code, then all discussion of Slashdot itself is ON TOPIC no matter where it occurs.
You missed my point. A receipt for the belt you bought at Walmart won't mean squat to the judge -- if you could even figure out that it was your belt's RFID that triggered CompUSA's security system.
If it comes down to your word against theirs, whose word do you think the judge is going to believe? Look what happened to the guy who tried to pay with $2 bills -- who did the cops believe then? Even if they let you go with a "sorry" it's not good enough -- the damage is done, as the original story says. I'm just pointing out the tremendous ability to really screw things up that RFID will introduce.
Yeah, well what about the RFID chips Walmart wants in our underwear, socks, pencils, glasses, etc? If they can't get the stupid induction loop thingies working properly, what's going to happen when they scan the RFIDs scattered about your person looking for stolen goods? What happens when CompUSA's "autocheckout" scanners sense your belt and bill you for a PDA they think you just took out the door? How do you later prove you didn't take a PDA?
You forget the parent's complaint was having to install the older Windows in order to use the "upgrade" CD. In my case that means I must install DOS then Windows 3.1 then Windows 95 upgrade then Windows XP upgrade. No, thanks. At some point the "upgrades" are not worth it. At least to the parent and myself. It's less hassle to just pay M$ for the full install disk, although I'm sure the full upgrade path from DOS to Longhorn will remain intact for someone silly enough to try it.
I wonder, will you have to activate the Windows XP upgrade before the Longhorn upgrade will recognize it? That adds a really combersome step when you include the inevitable call to MS support because the activation nazi code thinks you're a pirate (calls to MS activation support seem to be tied to the number of installs rather than any change in the hardware). Now you'll have to call twice, once for XP and again for Longhorn. Nice way to treat your customers, M$!
Windows is not free, and the support for it is not free either.
That said, many companies don't provide adequate Windows support; they expect their employees to know how to install softwear, connect to servers, etc. If anything goes wrong the IT department only knows to re-install Windows. That's the real problem: the employees don't know how to use UNIX, so the "support staff" (i.e., the employees) will need re-training if they introduce UNIX. Now, if they had a proper IT department, this would be a few dozen people, but as it is they'd need to train everybody. Cheaper to stick with Windows for the sheeple.
As your lawyer friend said, tax evasion is illegal. Tax avoidance, however, is not only legal it's encouraged -- hell, even the President wants you to pay as little tax as possible (if you're already rich). That's all these Google folks are doing. Fortunately, the law doesn't care if you're rich, even the poor can avoid taxes if they're careful. Back when I was in school and filed a 1040EZ I was able to cut my tax burden at least a little each year; now, with a house to kick me into itemized deductions, I milk it for all it's worth (e.g., don't throw anything away -- take it to Goodwill and let them throw it away; meanwhile, you claim the donation.
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Remember, the CAN-SPAM act revoked all the state's anti-spam laws, including Washington's. I'm a Washington resident and my inbox has more spam than ever since CAN-SPAM passed. "CAN-SPAM" indeed, now they sure can, and with the government's blessing!
I can agree to disagree, but so far I've not found one pro-GPL person who will agree to disagree, all they (you) do is agree they're right and everyone else is wrong. Which is why I have a little to do with GPL, FSF, and RMS as possible.
Stallman believes that if you like proprietary software then you're an idiot who does not deserve to use a computer. He also believes that all software should be "free" (but only per his definition of "free" - remember, to him BSD is not free, but to us BSD folks the GPL is not free, so it's a stalemate) and that all non-GPL software should be released under the GPL. He even goes so far as to clone some software and release it under the GPL, and to fork other open projects that he feels are not "free" enough (i.e., that don't use the GPL). Talk about a waste of effort! Don't add new features to a program, rather re-write it from scratch because you like the code but not the license. He's a jerk who should be ignored, not a saint who should be followed without question. What has Stallman done that's original thought (the GPL doesn't count, I'm talking working code)? What hasn't he simply cloned for religious purposes? He didn't like the emacs license, so he cloned it. He didn't like the UNIX license, so he tried to clone it and failed, then tried to hijack the only UNIX clone with a license he liked (tell me, does HURD work yet? I don't hear much about it in the press) He's got a Java clone going, but it won't work with OOo's Java code so he blames OOo rather than blaming his faulty Java clone.
I must thank him, though, because his stupid insistance that every Linux distribution is "GNU/Linux" so turned me off that I started looking at the various BSDs as an alternative, and I found them so much better than Linux that I no longer have any Linux in my house, just *BSD and Windows.
Now, here in Slashdot I can filter things so I don't have to read my foes posts, but somehow I can't seem to filter it to block all stories about Stallman and/or the FSF. Oh, well, can't have everything. Maybe I'll write a little Java program to do that, and release it under the BSD license :-)
Yeah, right. Until suddenly your computer runs slower than molassis in January and you can't figure out why. Looks like a virus but every anti-virus program you try says the PC's clean. "Safe Mode" is no better, Task Manager provides no clues. WTF? Days later I discover the BIOS setting to disable the on-board audio doesn't work, that I also need to set a non-documented jumper on the motherboard. Once I do that I eliminate the invisible conflict between the on-board audio and the Sound Blaster I installed and now everything's fine. Time lost and headaches out the gazoo all because the motherboard has built-in audio that I don't want or need and piss-poor documentation on how to disable it. Redundancy my ass! If I want redundancy I'll buy a spare Sound Blaster.
Who cares? Pre-paid cell phones are literally disposable, one-use toys to the bad guys. You don't even need a fake ID, just cash, and not all that much at that. How can they tap your phone when you use a different phone for each call? The best they could do is tap all the pre-paid phones and listen to every conversation out there -- good luck with that! (wanna bet the NSA is big into voice recognition?)
No kidding. If Apple is getting tons of publicity over "Tiger" then what better time for Tiger Direct to make their move? This will certainly get Tiger Direct publicity, which is really what this is all about: brand recognition. They want everyone to think of them, not Apple, when they hear "Tiger." If their web site is visited by only ten percent of the people who never heard of Tiger Direct before this lawsuit, it won't be able to keep up.
Perhaps, but what does the DMCA have to do with it? The very fact that Walmart chose to cry "DMCA violation!" tells me they know they don't have a case and are just trying (successfully) to intimidate the guy.
Seriously, you say this is for "culturally significant works." Who decides if my home movies are or are not culturally significant? More to the point, how can they make this decision without first seeing my home movies? I'll bet this law gives them the right to accquire anything they want, then later decide what to keep. This opinion is based not on my reading the law but rather my perceptions of those who make our laws.
Does this law make The Phantom Edit legal? Anyone know where I can get a copy?
2) George W. Bush is an important historical figure. Will we see every little thing he produced in the LoC? I doubt it. If we ever see any of it, it will be what GWB wishes us to see at the GWB Presidential Library. The LoC won't see any of his personal, private stuff. Given that, why should it be allowed to possess anyone else's, then?
I've used the soldering tip that came with my propane torch -- I can solder up to five circuit board traces at once with that baby! But you have to remember to turn off the flame before you point it at the circuit :-O
X11 is not just for Linux, you know!
Second, as long as Slashdot refuses to provide a forum for discussing problems with Slashdot itself, including the Slash code, then all discussion of Slashdot itself is ON TOPIC no matter where it occurs.
Starting Score: 1 point
Moderation +1
40% Underrated
20% Offtopic
20% Redundant
Extra 'Insightful' Modifier 0 (Edit)
Total Score: 2
Please tell me how that adds up to "+1 Insightful"
If it comes down to your word against theirs, whose word do you think the judge is going to believe? Look what happened to the guy who tried to pay with $2 bills -- who did the cops believe then? Even if they let you go with a "sorry" it's not good enough -- the damage is done, as the original story says. I'm just pointing out the tremendous ability to really screw things up that RFID will introduce.
"Our records show you left the store with item number XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX" will be good enough for most judges.
Yeah, well what about the RFID chips Walmart wants in our underwear, socks, pencils, glasses, etc? If they can't get the stupid induction loop thingies working properly, what's going to happen when they scan the RFIDs scattered about your person looking for stolen goods? What happens when CompUSA's "autocheckout" scanners sense your belt and bill you for a PDA they think you just took out the door? How do you later prove you didn't take a PDA?
I wonder, will you have to activate the Windows XP upgrade before the Longhorn upgrade will recognize it? That adds a really combersome step when you include the inevitable call to MS support because the activation nazi code thinks you're a pirate (calls to MS activation support seem to be tied to the number of installs rather than any change in the hardware). Now you'll have to call twice, once for XP and again for Longhorn. Nice way to treat your customers, M$!
That said, many companies don't provide adequate Windows support; they expect their employees to know how to install softwear, connect to servers, etc. If anything goes wrong the IT department only knows to re-install Windows. That's the real problem: the employees don't know how to use UNIX, so the "support staff" (i.e., the employees) will need re-training if they introduce UNIX. Now, if they had a proper IT department, this would be a few dozen people, but as it is they'd need to train everybody. Cheaper to stick with Windows for the sheeple.
As your lawyer friend said, tax evasion is illegal. Tax avoidance, however, is not only legal it's encouraged -- hell, even the President wants you to pay as little tax as possible (if you're already rich). That's all these Google folks are doing. Fortunately, the law doesn't care if you're rich, even the poor can avoid taxes if they're careful. Back when I was in school and filed a 1040EZ I was able to cut my tax burden at least a little each year; now, with a house to kick me into itemized deductions, I milk it for all it's worth (e.g., don't throw anything away -- take it to Goodwill and let them throw it away; meanwhile, you claim the donation.