Regardless, *NO ONE* is forced to use the GPL for code that they have written exclusively by themselves. And if someone *does* choose to use the GPL (2 or 3) for code that *they* write, and someone else doesnt like that, they can freely choose NOT to use that code. The author of the code always has the absolute choice over what license to release it to anyone else under. Other persons can choose to accept the license the author permits, or not. If they choose not to, then standard copyright law applies.
It isnt author 'A', who chooses to license something he wrote under the GPL.
It is author 'B', who wants to try and take author 'A's code, and benefit from it by using it as a base for another program, but doesnt want to let authors 'C' thru 'Zzzz' benefit from what he ('B') did.
Note for comparison that author 'MS' (any many other similar ones) arent anywhere near as generous as the author 'A's that license under the GPL.
The GPL is about granting freedoms as part of distributing code, on the absolute (and enforceable) condition that you *must* pass along *all* of the same freedoms to anyone that you further distribute that code, either with or without modification. *Any*one can always choose *not* to accept the GPL, in which case they have the same default set of rights with respect to that code that they normally have (except with proprietary software licenses, where they usually have *far* less)
The linux kernel tain flag doesnt prevent you from using a proprietary driver. All it does is permit kernel developers the freedom to choose not to help you debug any kernel bugs you may find when doing so. Surely you dont feel they should not be free to make this choice?
Heck, you could modify your own kernel source and remove the tainted kernel code entirely, and nothing in the GPL prohibits you from doing so.
No, he forces nothing on authors. He allows authors to use a license that prevents *OTHER* authors from taking the first author's work and using it without giving back. And its primarily large corporations that would want to do that to begin with.
If you or any other software author, want to write programs and not license them as Free Software, that is *ENTIRELY* your/their option.
What you should *NOT* be able to do, however, is take a program that *someone else* wrote and licensed as Free Software, and use THAT as part of your non-Free program.
Its pretty much a given that public utilities have a 'right of way' or 'easement' through either the front, back, or both, of a certain portion of your private property. Usually the front 10' from the street.
This is even if you *dont* desire service from them.
"Canopy" is NOT WiMax, or Wifi, or anything remotely similar. It is an entirely different technology. And neither Canopy, nor WiMax, are cheap. Both require extensive 'head end' hardware investments to even *begin* to offer service in just a small limited area, and the CPE isnt cheap either.
If you want to remain ignorant, feel free to do so. Just recognize that your arguments will be false, and therefore ignored, by anyone that chooses not to.
Idiot. You ever hear of 'Miss Dig'. Someone wants to dig, they call, and every company that has buried cables/pipes whatever within a certain radius has to come out and mark them, so they dont get cut. All this poor guy knew is that he was supposed to mark some cables, and you were giving him a hard time. He probably was from the telephone co, and the cable co probably *did* have a call in to Miss Dig. He probably figured since you were being such a jackass that you didnt want service from them (the telco) anymore and just didnt want to admit it that you had ordered something from cable (wether that was true or not).
Just think, when your Internet or whatever is out and you hear it is a 'fiber cut' just figure some asshole didnt let the guy come mark the fiber.
The reason 'old' phone lines can stay up is they have *huge* banks of batteries at the central offices, *and* diesel generators, and they only need power in one place.
Cable, cell, digital phone, all the 'new' stuff, needs power at all sorts of remote nodes/huts. They simply cant put sufficient batteries or generators in place to keep them all up.
As far as the main story, the telco and the cableco are both used to being monopolies in their areas. If they were to compete fairly, that might be good. But monopolies arent used to competing fairly. Unfortunately, since between them they hold a stranglehold on the rights-of-way and existing wired infrastructure (BOTH heavily subsidized by government-granted exclusive franchises over dozens and dozens of years), unless some *major* breakthru in range, bandwidth, and reliability of wireless tech happens, there isnt much hope on the horizon.
Becuase then the bible literalists would have to admit that 'God' really didnt reach into adam, pull out a rib, and turn it into the first woman.
Seriously, this idea is a perfect way to reconcile the argument for someone who is intelligent, understands the difference between reality and fairy-tales, and yet still feels the need to beleive in a religion. Which means very few people will even consider it.
I've often though the same thing myself, mainly as a way of answering the creationist fools.
People who are 'totally alienated' from Linux were never really linux users. No one who ever really understands would ever 'go back' to Microsoft once they've actually fully understood anything else.
Sometimes the 'protect' part includes protecting one group of citizens from another. And yes, that means that when an officer tells you to do something, you do it, unless its something that would be completely and obviously illegal for you to do, or something like intentionall harming yourself. If it is wrong or illegal for them to require you to do it, you do it anyway, and you deal with it *afterward*.
The guy was a dick, and he did bring this on himself - h was mouthing off right from the beginning. That said, the police did overdo it a bit. You cant actually *see* the guy in the video, or what he was doing right before they tased him the first time, but the first tasering may well have been reasonable. The repeat ones, where they demanded he stand up after being tased, were probably not - they should have handcuffed him and carried him out of the library instead.
What I think would be insightful, woud be to read firsthand accounts of - the guy who got tased, each of the officers, and from several direct witnesses, as to who said/did what, and in what order.
This isnt a solve-all, but it seems reasonable that you'd like to wash your hands before being served at an eatery - so go in, but dont ask for the restroom, ask for a table, and then also mention you'd like to use the washroom first. After you've done your business, up to you wether to remain there and order something, or to simply split.
With the exception of the one guy's whose name they specifically mentioned, (and I consider it likely tht they did get his permission), no other clients were identified. They did give details of the mishaps, but you dont know *who* had these mishaps. Heck, they could have made them up. The point is that they give examples of just how badly you can fuck up a drive, and they are still able to recover the info from it. As long as they arent identifying the clients, or revealing the data the recovered, I think this is a reasonable means of marketing.
"code that sells better" and "good code" are very much not the same thing. Microsoft is a clear example of that. And usually the clickwrap you agree to on closed source stuff pretty much takes away any right to damages even if the software somehow burns your entrie company to the ground. (True, you can still *blame* them, but that is true regardless, and it still wont rebuild your company)
Balmer is one of the top level executives at a company whose profits are made by selling proprietary software (Making it neither free-as-in-beer, except for all the pirating, nor Free-as-in-speech). If any major market decides to extensively embrace Free Software, his company stands to lose large amounts of future profits.
Asking him what *he* thinks of free software is not a fair question, neither to him (how can he possibly be honest) nor to anyone else that doesnt already understand that (they are likely to not understand that his answer is evasive at best)
Try asking a buggy whip exectuve what they think of the automobile, and internal combustion engines in general.
1. When you read webmail, the emails that you read are in fact stored on your hard drive, in your web browsers cache, at least temporarily. If the plaintiff submitted copies of the emails with full headers (which I sincerely hope he did), then there is no reason for this, other than to try to invade his privacy. If not, then that (emails with full headers) should be what they subpeona, not an entire hard drive.
2. I'd read his declaration, but it seems to be in some strange sort of proprietary binary file named with a ".DOC" at the end. I can't seem to find an RFC or any other sort of reference on this file from which to write a suitable interpreter.
If patented code cannot be licensed/distributed under the GPL, than Novell cannot include that code as part of any 'Linux' they offer. Basically, anything Novell puts in Linux, must be done under the GPL, if they then distribute it to anyone else. And if they distribute it under the GPL, than anyone they distribute it to MUST get all the same rights they did. Granted there really isnt any such thing as a 'right not to be sued' in the US, since anyone can sue anybody for anything.
It might be appropriate for the linux kernel folk to consider wether they ought to accept patches/submissions from Novell or anyone that works there anymore.
Then tell your mom and dad that doing anything financial online is inherently inseure and unsafe, and that neither their bank info, CC#, or SS# should ever, for any reason go near the computer unless you are standing there holding their hand. They'll beleive you, and stick with paper and in-person transactions that they are comfortable with.
With Jajah, you need net/browser access to initiate the call(s).
With the appropriate automation connected to a VoIP account with 3-way calling, there is no such requirement. I've actually set this up and used it, so I'm not just talking theory here - you program your Asterisk box to recognize the CID of your cellphone, and when you call, it doesnt pick up, but instead after a few moments delay, it calls you back, and when you answer, it presents you with a passcode-protected dialtone which you can then use to make the other leg of the call.
Unlimted 'long distance' VoIP account with three-way calling.
An ATA and a voicemodem, and some automation (Or an appropriately setup Asterisk server with similar automation)
Of course, the other end doesnt need to be a cellphone, you could use this to place calls anywhere your VoIP can call, after first calling your free-incoming-calls cellphone.
The board should fire the CEO, or if hes the majority holder, first his ownership should be distributed among the employee's whose identities he stole, then the 'new' board shuld fire him, and feel free to hire a new CEO and continue running the company.
Sure, theyve competed for *dial-up*. And theyve dragged their butt on broadband. And their case is full of hot air, the truth is they dont want to let anyone else in on the broadband market, they prefer their monopoly.
If you are lucky enough to live in a dense area, you've got TWO choices for wired Broadband 1. CableModem, through the cableco that 'owns' your location. 2. DSL, carried on the copper that the incumbent monopoly telco controls. It will cost *more* to get it from third party ISP (assuming thats even available), becuase the telco charges the third part *more* to rent the loop than the telco will charge you for the whole DSL (so the telco is either ripping off the competitor, or they are underpricing their service). In either case with DSL you are limited to 1.5M but the tech, and thats if you have a perfect loop.
If you are lucky, you *might* be able to get wireless. This depends on terrain and distance. In big city, usually theres lots of buildings in the way. In rural areas, usually distance will be a problem, becuase its not cost effective. In the areas where wireless is actually available, its usually damn expensive becuase either you have to pay for the gear up front, or you have to sign a contract and the cost of the gear is financed by the ISP.
Less lucky people have one choice, usually cable. (DSL being limited by distance as well).
Even less lucky have no option for broadband at all, except for (horrid) satellite, or long-range high-end (expen$ive) wireless stuff. (Oh and of course there's always T1, again top of 1.5M, and they're likely to pay upwards of $300/mo for that)
Anything and everything that will result in MORE options for broadband should be done. No one should be prohibited from offering it. There should be no exclusive contracts. The more players there are, the more they will be forced to compete fairly on price and level of service (and as a resuly, price and service will get better and better)
The telco's are truly afraid of broadband becoming universally available, without them having monopoly control over it.
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Regardless, *NO ONE* is forced to use the GPL for code that they have written exclusively by themselves. And if someone *does* choose to use the GPL (2 or 3) for code that *they* write, and someone else doesnt like that, they can freely choose NOT to use that code. The author of the code always has the absolute choice over what license to release it to anyone else under. Other persons can choose to accept the license the author permits, or not. If they choose not to, then standard copyright law applies.
You are confused as to who is being forced.
It isnt author 'A', who chooses to license something he wrote under the GPL.
It is author 'B', who wants to try and take author 'A's code, and benefit from it by using it as a base for another program, but doesnt want to let authors 'C' thru 'Zzzz' benefit from what he ('B') did.
Note for comparison that author 'MS' (any many other similar ones) arent anywhere near as generous as the author 'A's that license under the GPL.
The GPL is about granting freedoms as part of distributing code, on the absolute (and enforceable) condition that you *must* pass along *all* of the same freedoms to anyone that you further distribute that code, either with or without modification. *Any*one can always choose *not* to accept the GPL, in which case they have the same default set of rights with respect to that code that they normally have (except with proprietary software licenses, where they usually have *far* less)
The linux kernel tain flag doesnt prevent you from using a proprietary driver. All it does is permit kernel developers the freedom to choose not to help you debug any kernel bugs you may find when doing so. Surely you dont feel they should not be free to make this choice?
Heck, you could modify your own kernel source and remove the tainted kernel code entirely, and nothing in the GPL prohibits you from doing so.
No, he forces nothing on authors. He allows authors to use a license that prevents *OTHER* authors from taking the first author's work and using it without giving back. And its primarily large corporations that would want to do that to begin with.
If you or any other software author, want to write programs and not license them as Free Software, that is *ENTIRELY* your/their option.
What you should *NOT* be able to do, however, is take a program that *someone else* wrote and licensed as Free Software, and use THAT as part of your non-Free program.
Its pretty much a given that public utilities have a 'right of way' or 'easement' through either the front, back, or both, of a certain portion of your private property. Usually the front 10' from the street.
This is even if you *dont* desire service from them.
"Canopy" is NOT WiMax, or Wifi, or anything remotely similar. It is an entirely different technology. And neither Canopy, nor WiMax, are cheap. Both require extensive 'head end' hardware investments to even *begin* to offer service in just a small limited area, and the CPE isnt cheap either.
If you want to remain ignorant, feel free to do so. Just recognize that your arguments will be false, and therefore ignored, by anyone that chooses not to.
1. Canopy isnt WiMax.
1b. Consider that your ISP may have a 'mom and pop' look and feel, but may really be financed or operated by a larger company.
2. You dont ask for a 'linux' connection. You ask for a broadband connection, delivered via ethernet/DHCP. What OS you might use is irellevant.
Idiot. You ever hear of 'Miss Dig'. Someone wants to dig, they call, and every company that has buried cables/pipes whatever within a certain radius has to come out and mark them, so they dont get cut. All this poor guy knew is that he was supposed to mark some cables, and you were giving him a hard time. He probably was from the telephone co, and the cable co probably *did* have a call in to Miss Dig. He probably figured since you were being such a jackass that you didnt want service from them (the telco) anymore and just didnt want to admit it that you had ordered something from cable (wether that was true or not).
Just think, when your Internet or whatever is out and you hear it is a 'fiber cut' just figure some asshole didnt let the guy come mark the fiber.
The reason 'old' phone lines can stay up is they have *huge* banks of batteries at the central offices, *and* diesel generators, and they only need power in one place.
Cable, cell, digital phone, all the 'new' stuff, needs power at all sorts of remote nodes/huts. They simply cant put sufficient batteries or generators in place to keep them all up.
As far as the main story, the telco and the cableco are both used to being monopolies in their areas. If they were to compete fairly, that might be good. But monopolies arent used to competing fairly. Unfortunately, since between them they hold a stranglehold on the rights-of-way and existing wired infrastructure (BOTH heavily subsidized by government-granted exclusive franchises over dozens and dozens of years), unless some *major* breakthru in range, bandwidth, and reliability of wireless tech happens, there isnt much hope on the horizon.
They do that so they can try to sneak religious indoctrination into public schools pretending its 'science'.
Becuase then the bible literalists would have to admit that 'God' really didnt reach into adam, pull out a rib, and turn it into the first woman.
Seriously, this idea is a perfect way to reconcile the argument for someone who is intelligent, understands the difference between reality and fairy-tales, and yet still feels the need to beleive in a religion. Which means very few people will even consider it.
I've often though the same thing myself, mainly as a way of answering the creationist fools.
People who are 'totally alienated' from Linux were never really linux users. No one who ever really understands would ever 'go back' to Microsoft once they've actually fully understood anything else.
Sometimes the 'protect' part includes protecting one group of citizens from another. And yes, that means that when an officer tells you to do something, you do it, unless its something that would be completely and obviously illegal for you to do, or something like intentionall harming yourself. If it is wrong or illegal for them to require you to do it, you do it anyway, and you deal with it *afterward*.
The guy was a dick, and he did bring this on himself - h was mouthing off right from the beginning. That said, the police did overdo it a bit. You cant actually *see* the guy in the video, or what he was doing right before they tased him the first time, but the first tasering may well have been reasonable. The repeat ones, where they demanded he stand up after being tased, were probably not - they should have handcuffed him and carried him out of the library instead.
What I think would be insightful, woud be to read firsthand accounts of - the guy who got tased, each of the officers, and from several direct witnesses, as to who said/did what, and in what order.
This isnt a solve-all, but it seems reasonable that you'd like to wash your hands before being served at an eatery - so go in, but dont ask for the restroom, ask for a table, and then also mention you'd like to use the washroom first. After you've done your business, up to you wether to remain there and order something, or to simply split.
With the exception of the one guy's whose name they specifically mentioned, (and I consider it likely tht they did get his permission), no other clients were identified. They did give details of the mishaps, but you dont know *who* had these mishaps. Heck, they could have made them up. The point is that they give examples of just how badly you can fuck up a drive, and they are still able to recover the info from it. As long as they arent identifying the clients, or revealing the data the recovered, I think this is a reasonable means of marketing.
"code that sells better" and "good code" are very much not the same thing. Microsoft is a clear example of that. And usually the clickwrap you agree to on closed source stuff pretty much takes away any right to damages even if the software somehow burns your entrie company to the ground. (True, you can still *blame* them, but that is true regardless, and it still wont rebuild your company)
Balmer is one of the top level executives at a company whose profits are made by selling proprietary software (Making it neither free-as-in-beer, except for all the pirating, nor Free-as-in-speech). If any major market decides to extensively embrace Free Software, his company stands to lose large amounts of future profits.
Asking him what *he* thinks of free software is not a fair question, neither to him (how can he possibly be honest) nor to anyone else that doesnt already understand that (they are likely to not understand that his answer is evasive at best)
Try asking a buggy whip exectuve what they think of the automobile, and internal combustion engines in general.
For instance where is the link (or the navigation instructions) on where to download a tarball of all my gmail account? Or anything else?
Lots of talk in this article, no actual info. Im sure its 'coming soon'.
1. When you read webmail, the emails that you read are in fact stored on your hard drive, in your web browsers cache, at least temporarily. If the plaintiff submitted copies of the emails with full headers (which I sincerely hope he did), then there is no reason for this, other than to try to invade his privacy. If not, then that (emails with full headers) should be what they subpeona, not an entire hard drive.
2. I'd read his declaration, but it seems to be in some strange sort of proprietary binary file named with a ".DOC" at the end. I can't seem to find an RFC or any other sort of reference on this file from which to write a suitable interpreter.
If patented code cannot be licensed/distributed under the GPL, than Novell cannot include that code as part of any 'Linux' they offer. Basically, anything Novell puts in Linux, must be done under the GPL, if they then distribute it to anyone else. And if they distribute it under the GPL, than anyone they distribute it to MUST get all the same rights they did. Granted there really isnt any such thing as a 'right not to be sued' in the US, since anyone can sue anybody for anything.
It might be appropriate for the linux kernel folk to consider wether they ought to accept patches/submissions from Novell or anyone that works there anymore.
Then tell your mom and dad that doing anything financial online is inherently inseure and unsafe, and that neither their bank info, CC#, or SS# should ever, for any reason go near the computer unless you are standing there holding their hand. They'll beleive you, and stick with paper and in-person transactions that they are comfortable with.
With Jajah, you need net/browser access to initiate the call(s).
With the appropriate automation connected to a VoIP account with 3-way calling, there is no such requirement. I've actually set this up and used it, so I'm not just talking theory here - you program your Asterisk box to recognize the CID of your cellphone, and when you call, it doesnt pick up, but instead after a few moments delay, it calls you back, and when you answer, it presents you with a passcode-protected dialtone which you can then use to make the other leg of the call.
Unlimted 'long distance' VoIP account with three-way calling.
An ATA and a voicemodem, and some automation (Or an appropriately setup Asterisk server with similar automation)
Of course, the other end doesnt need to be a cellphone, you could use this to place calls anywhere your VoIP can call, after first calling your free-incoming-calls cellphone.
The board should fire the CEO, or if hes the majority holder, first his ownership should be distributed among the employee's whose identities he stole, then the 'new' board shuld fire him, and feel free to hire a new CEO and continue running the company.
Sure, theyve competed for *dial-up*. And theyve dragged their butt on broadband. And their case is full of hot air, the truth is they dont want to let anyone else in on the broadband market, they prefer their monopoly.
If you are lucky enough to live in a dense area, you've got TWO choices for wired Broadband 1. CableModem, through the cableco that 'owns' your location. 2. DSL, carried on the copper that the incumbent monopoly telco controls. It will cost *more* to get it from third party ISP (assuming thats even available), becuase the telco charges the third part *more* to rent the loop than the telco will charge you for the whole DSL (so the telco is either ripping off the competitor, or they are underpricing their service). In either case with DSL you are limited to 1.5M but the tech, and thats if you have a perfect loop.
If you are lucky, you *might* be able to get wireless. This depends on terrain and distance. In big city, usually theres lots of buildings in the way. In rural areas, usually distance will be a problem, becuase its not cost effective. In the areas where wireless is actually available, its usually damn expensive becuase either you have to pay for the gear up front, or you have to sign a contract and the cost of the gear is financed by the ISP.
Less lucky people have one choice, usually cable. (DSL being limited by distance as well).
Even less lucky have no option for broadband at all, except for (horrid) satellite, or long-range high-end (expen$ive) wireless stuff. (Oh and of course there's always T1, again top of 1.5M, and they're likely to pay upwards of $300/mo for that)
Anything and everything that will result in MORE options for broadband should be done. No one should be prohibited from offering it. There should be no exclusive contracts. The more players there are, the more they will be forced to compete fairly on price and level of service (and as a resuly, price and service will get better and better)
The telco's are truly afraid of broadband becoming universally available, without them having monopoly control over it.