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User: aug24

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  1. Reverse the question. on On the Ethics of a Code Split? · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Does the other maintainer think it ethical to use the code base from the original project? Apparently so. In which case, in the gpl quid quo pro, his code is available to all (not just you) for use in *any* gpl'ed project.

    Go for it!

    J.

  2. Parent must be troll... on Coming Soon: Self-Heating Coffee · · Score: 1
    allowing for the fact it's Nescafe

    ...as this can't be done.

    J.

  3. Re:been a Linux-only gamer for 3 years on Best Configuration for Linux Gaming? · · Score: 1

    Interesting... when I have some more time (ha bloody ha), I will have to take more of a look at it.

    Ta.
    J.

  4. Re:been a Linux-only gamer for 3 years on Best Configuration for Linux Gaming? · · Score: 1

    I'm not currently much of a gamer, but your comment has made me curious - what game versions do you play?

    My friends have a LAN party every other week and I had assumed that I would need to build a winbox to join in. Is Wine sufficient these days to use the Windows versions, or are games generally available for Linux? Or something else I hadn't thought of?

    Cheers,
    Justin.

  5. Re:The answer... on Secret Agents Hold Code-Breaking Contest · · Score: 1

    There's one actor who fits PZSS TEBBMJ too.

    This shows that the substitution is not the same for each one, and is not even the same substitution rotated by a number of letters.

    This is not easy!

    J.

  6. Re:The answer... on Secret Agents Hold Code-Breaking Contest · · Score: 1
    Yes, you're right, but the substitution:
    abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
    op.r..t......l........ ...e
    doesn't fit any of the other names. Specifically you get a ...pr surname. So there must be something a little trickier ;-)

    J.

  7. Re:The penguins talk to you, they only steal my be on Secret Agents Hold Code-Breaking Contest · · Score: 1

    http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=cypher :-p',',',',

  8. Re:The answer... on Secret Agents Hold Code-Breaking Contest · · Score: 1

    That rather assums its a simple rotational cypher, and I'm afraid I've already ruled that out (not that I thought it would be). I'm about to do the histogram thing, and I expect it'll be roughly smooth, suggesting a varying rotational cypher., but I could be wrong ;-) J.

  9. Re:How ironic on Firefox New York Times Ad Hits the Presses · · Score: 1

    Oh rubbish, registration and advertising are nothing to do with one another.

    I object to having to tell a paper who I am, how old, etc in order to read it. I don't think that makes me or the /. editors childish. Other things may point that way however... see following paragraph...

    That's why I (and lots of other people presumably) always log in to sites with the name/pass "fuckthis/fuckthis" ;-)

    Justin.

  10. Logically, it has to work the way you describe... on Cell Phones In The Air? · · Score: 1

    If we are really relying on the passengers remembering to do something to ensure safety, then the system will not be robust - in other words safety becomes dependent on there never being an idiot/forgetful person on the flight. It must be the other way round, or I for one would never fly again!

    J.

  11. The is a difference... on Cell Phones In The Air? · · Score: 1
    People on phones are annoying because only half the conversation is audible, so it is intermittent and thus more intrusive than continuous conversation as with someone nearby.

    Consider:

    "The quality of mercy is not strained;"
    "It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven"
    "Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest;"
    "It blesseth him that gives and him that takes."
    "'Tis mighty in the mightiest;"
    "It becomes the thronèd monarch better than his crown."
    "His scepter shows the force of temporal power,"
    "The attribute to awe and majesty,"
    "Wherein sit the dread and fear of kings;"
    "But mercy is above this scepter'd sway;"
    "It is enthronèd in the hearts of kings,"
    "It is an attribute of God himself,"
    "And earthy power doth then show likest God's"
    "When mercy seasons justice."

    ...then...

    "The quality of mercy is not strained;"
    "..."
    "Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest;"
    "..."
    "'Tis mighty in the mightiest;"
    "..."
    "His scepter shows the force of temporal power,"
    "..."
    "Wherein sit the dread and fear of kings;"
    "..."<br>
    "It is enthron&#232;d in the hearts of kings,"
    "..."<br>
    "And earthy power doth then show likest God's"
    "..."<br>

    The latter will intrude a lot more on your book/crossword/snooze whatever than the former.

    Justin.

  12. Why does it have to be tactile? on Non-Invasive Computer Control Through Brainwaves · · Score: 1

    My microwave beeps. My phone vibrates when I get the ball in the hole on minigolf. No reason that you couldn't have some - any (modifiable) - feedback. Hell, you could even make it visible by changing the appearance of whatever it is you are interfacing with/to.

    J.

  13. Re:Are you simply too lazy? on Mozilla Thunderbird Reaches 1.0 · · Score: 1

    Then I apologise unreservedly.

    Quoted google searches are /vastly/ more useful and I forget that not everyone knows about them.

    J.

  14. Are you simply too lazy? on Mozilla Thunderbird Reaches 1.0 · · Score: 1
    I googled and found this in thirty secords...

    J.

  15. Re:AdBlock on Firefox Users Bad For Advertisers · · Score: 1

    On occasion, I can even be bothered to mail the advertiser and tell them I've done blocked their ad, and that excessive (specific word) colour/motion is the reason. The last was an ad on El Reg which which actually moved itself over the text I was trying to read!

    Sadly, the only response I've ever had (from the 28 Days Later promoters) was along the lines of "Huh? What do you mean, you blocked it?". They're not tech-savvy.

    Justin.

  16. Re:To counter the negativty... on ZAP Smart Car Approved for Sale in the US · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I recommended a couple I know to try these out a few years ago, on the same 'in principle' bit as you. They tried it (Frank was very sceptical), loved it (the bit where he changed his mind was doing a U turn in a normal road instead of a 3-point), bought one. Then his bro and bro-in-law got one. Then some friends... you see where I'm going.

    They are every bit as good as you think. They are totally stable, comfortable and customiseable, safer than many other 'normal' cars both for those inside and any peds you might hit, and you get big smiles from people - tops!

    Justin.

  17. Re:The BBC is on it! on TV Piracy is Next · · Score: 1

    ...and your point is? Sad little bugger.

  18. Re:M*A*S*H on TV Piracy is Next · · Score: 1

    Never even occured to me that there might be a 'turn off laugh track' option on the DVD (I'd been looking for a release marked 'UK version' or something). I wasn't even sure, on reading the link, that that allowed it till I saw the reviews at the bottom.

    Thanks!

    Justin ;-)

  19. Re:There are reasons why people do that on TV Piracy is Next · · Score: 1

    Weirdly, the one show I can't get hold of is the UK cut of M*A*S*H. It had no laugh track and the dry humour came across wonderfully. Hawkeye's laconic delivery was killed stone dead when some dick suit decided it needed a huge belly-laugh after every line.

    Justin.

  20. The BBC is on it! on TV Piracy is Next · · Score: 1

    Recently the great and glorious Beeb-beeb-ceeb started working on a codec intended to enable torrent-style netcasting of shows.

    As one of the (only?) free-to-air public funded /serious/ channels, they have this freedom.

    "Nation shall speak peace unto nation" - no wonder Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell hated them.

    Justin.

  21. Re:The article explains why she got better.. on 15-Year-Old Girl Survives Rabies Infection · · Score: 1

    By all means pray, but if, in your hypothetical situation, dozens of medical professionals were involved, did something terribly clever, and you still said it was cos you'd got down on your knees - at whatever speed - then, yes, I'd sneer at you.

    Justin.

  22. If not suicide then at least illness. on Can People Really Program 80+ Hours a Week? · · Score: 1

    What I mostly notice about people who work long hours is that they get a cold every month. That's because their immune systems are fucked - duh!

    The follow-up to this is that they watch the stupid adverts for cold 'remedies' and believe that if they take enough over-the-counter drugs, they can still work. Then they come in and give colds to the rest of the team, and deprive the project of much more useful man-hours.

    These days, as a mellowed out 34-year-old contractor, I will rag on my colleagues and team leads till they go home, explaining that I don't want their cold, their work is currently below par, and they would be better off spending the next 24 hours asleep than working. Typically, they eventually give up and go home, not cos they have learnt, but because they feel like shit and the last thing they want is some git contractor hassling them!

    Justin.

  23. This guy is not technically or community aware. on Will Open Source Solaris Kill Linux? · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Here's his list of reasons, and my comments on them (I'm a java and Oracle developer working on large UK projects)...

    • The Solaris software is of proven quality and at least equal or better then Linux and the open source model will assure that it stays up there.

    Why will the Open Source model automatically work? The majority of developers are already on Linux work and will have to be attracted to move across. Sun has had limited success in fostering support in the community so far.

    • By making it work with competing hardware platforms, there is no reason anymore to switch software to facilitate lower hardware costs.

    Only applies to people already using Solaris. What about new deployments? I suggest that many SMBs will adopt Linux as (1) it'll work on a low-power machine and (2) their techies will suggest it!

    • Sun with Solaris has already a large installed base and by becoming free and open source there is no reason for existing Solaris users to switch to Linux.

    Again, this only applies to people already using Solaris.

    • Sun has a proven reputation in terms of quality of support. This should be at least as good or better then that of the Linux supporters.

    That's a serious judgement call there. Plus from what I read, this isn't necessarily true even if it 'should' be!

    • Because Sun by default is the only designated party managing the open source software, there will be no risk of a version bonanza with multiple incompatible versions.

    ...and this in the week that LSB2 is announced. Oh well. What is the problem with multiple versions? I have never had any problems getting the software I want (usually Apache, Java, Tomcat, Oracle) to work on any recent distro. This is not a problem and hasn't been for several years.

    In short, I don't think this article was worth my time rebutting it. Oh...

    Justin.

  24. Re:At least... on Google Muscles Into Microsoft's Turf · · Score: 1

    That's like complementing me by saying that I'm not as bad as Charles Manson.

    J.

  25. Roads aren't for playing on any more. on Will Our Cars Become Our Chauffeurs? · · Score: 1

    I suggest you stop thinking that the roads are there to play on - they're so crowded (in the UK at any rate) that they're just transport zones these days. Go on a track day instead, they even have ambulances for when you have that little bit too much fun... ;-)

    J.