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  1. Spoof Caller ID From Home? on Caller ID Spoofing for the Masses · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I know for a while there has been a phreaking tool called Orange Box, which supposedly lets you spoof caller ID. But my understanding is it only works *after* the other person has picked up the phone, so it's not really good for much, or at least it's a lot trickier to take advantage of.

    Of course, there is a very cool software version of this tool: Software Orange Box, here. You enter in the caller ID details you want to spoof, and it generates the phone tones that transmit that data, which you can then play thru your speakers and to the phone, or connect directly to the phone for better results.

    Again, it's not a great spoofer, but it is pretty cool to mess around with.

    this is *the* faq on orange boxing.

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  2. Another Big Reason... on Amazing Things Your Automobile Can't Do · · Score: 1, Insightful

    The article suggests it's not just that obvious punching bag, litigation, that causes these features not to appear in the U.S. The real reason may be that people don't actually *want* the ability to watch broadcast TV in their car:

    "Safety and security are our winning features," said Terry Sullivan, vice president of communications for OnStar, the communications system owned by General Motors and available on 50 of its models as well as those of other manufacturers.

    "While customers can hear their e-mail using OnStar's Virtual Advisor service, the number that do is minuscule, in the low thousands," Mr. Sullivan said. "More telling is that 80 percent of its 2.7 million customers buy the air-bag notification system, which sends a signal to a central office when a car's air bag is deployed, to dispatch emergency services.


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  3. Some Facts on XM Radio Hacked by Car Computer Hobbyists · · Score: 5, Informative

    XMPCR: Time-shifting software for PC-based XM radio receiveers.

    The new replacement: XmDirect Tuner Interface Cable. From the manufacturer:

    With this cable and our software you will once again be able listen to XM satellite radio in your home or in your car using the included Hybrid eXeM interface along with the xmDirect...The SDK is available for developers that want to continue using xm radio within their applications.

    The email address to request the SDK (by the way, serious points for offering AND publicizing the SDK) is sdk at hybrid-mobile dot com.

    A cool picture: This picture shows the adapter plugged into what looks like the butt of a Dell laptop.

    What is going to happen: Someone is going to get the crap sued out of them.

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  4. Makes Business Sense on Novell to Defend Open Source Using Patents · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's been pretty clear for a while now that Novell wants to be a part of open source success. They announced their big enterprise server package last week (see http://www.novell.com/news/press/archive/2004/10/p r04068.html), which is driving continual SuSE upgrades and taking advantage of a bunch of Open Source work. They are making SuSE rock really hard, and it has what is so far my favorite package management tools. And anyway now they are 10 months ahead of schedule with their Enterprise stuff, thanks in part to the magic of open source.

    Of course, none of this is helping to make the Netware client less of a beast on Windows.

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  5. It Actually Seems Pretty Reasonable on UCSD Vs. Free Speech, Round 2 · · Score: 3, Informative

    All the provision says (see here) is that people may not use the UC.* abbreviations to promote things like business/financial enterprises. The code says:

    Nothing in this section shall interfere with or restrict the right of any person to make a true and accurate statement of his or her present or former relationship or connection with, his or her employment by, or his or her enrollment in, the University of California...

    So there's nothing preventing them from changing their name and just plastering all over the site that they're UCSD students, the site is about UCSD, for UCSD students, etc.

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  6. Worm name in article is wrong on New IM Worm On The Loose · · Score: 4, Funny

    It should be 'more fun', not 'funner'.

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  7. Easier Explanation of RPOW & RPOW Uses on RPOW - Reusable Proofs of Work · · Score: 3, Interesting
    From the web sites:

    The RPOW system provides for proof of work (POW) tokens to be reused. A POW token is something that takes a relatively long time to compute but which can be checked quickly. RPOW uses hashcash, which are values whose SHA-1 hashes have many high bits of zeros.

    Possible uses for RPOW include anti-spam tokens, "play money" for use in online games and fun bets, an aid to load balancing in P2P and file-exchange systems, and more. Any system which would benefit from a form of token which can be cheaply passed from user to user, but which is expensive to create, might want to look into RPOW.


    It's not clear to me that there is an obvious and immediate equivalent for RPOWs in existence. I'd be interested in hearing what people think this would be good for. It generally seems useful for making sure people do x amount of work before they are allowed to perform a task, but what can that be used for?

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    Freedom or Evil: Freevil.net
    G. W. Bush says, "You decide!"
  8. Article Mirror? on Digital Cable HDTV Tuner Card Reviewed · · Score: 0, Redundant

    I have included the text of the article below, in case the site gets slashdotted:

    Warning: mysql_pconnect(): Too many connections in /home/virtual/site27/fst/var/www/html/mainfile.php 4 on line 19
    Unable to select database

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    Freedom or Evil: Freevil.net
    G. W. Bush says, "You decide!"

  9. How to Win at Lawmaking on Gates Gets Government Guards for Gala · · Score: 3, Insightful

    While this whole thing may reek of money politics, it sounds like this whole thing is at least coming down 'on the right side' of some issues, encouraging the extension of the moratorium on 'net sales taxes, and loose regulation of VoIP. Of course, there is still that minor 'monopoly' issue.

    Politics can be pretty distateful, especially when it involves things like shutting down public roads so that rich people can talk to politicians in private.

    Anyway, it sounds like Microsoft is lobbying the National Governors Association (NGA) to have more forward-thinking opinions on the things they have influence over: The 'Net sales tax moratorium, VoIP regulations, etc. While I doubt many people agree with MS's thoughts about their monopoly, it is nice to have someone 'legitimate' pushing the NGA in a more Libertarian direction, at least a little bit.

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    Freedom or Evil: Freevil.net
    G. W. Bush says, "You decide!"

  10. Why This Site Exists on P2P Leaks Surprises · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Taken from the web site:

    Why This Site Exists
    Technology often outruns legislation. So is the case with Peer 2 Peer networks. Many people obtain P2P software so they can download music or movies. A large number of those people do not have any idea what they are sharing.

    A few months ago, I downloaded some military briefings from the Gnutella Network. The briefings were zipped and the file contained 21 documents with classifications ranging from For Official Use Only to Secret/NO FORN. Shocked at my discovery, I notified an agency on a nearby military installation. When nothing happened, I notified another agency. I continued this course because no action was taken and for a nation at war, I was concerned for the safety of our soldiers.

    It may appear that I am picking on certain institutions. This is true. I want everyone to know that we can be our own worst enemies when we don't understand the full power of our technology. I want every military and government agency to see first hand what is being shared with anyone who has a computer. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I can save myself some talking.

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    Freedom or Evil: Freevil.net
    G. W. Bush says, "You decide!"

  11. Wi-Fi Antenna Types on FCC Allows Mix-and-Match Wi-Fi Antennas · · Score: 4, Informative

    I noticed that the article lists a bunch of different antenna types. I didn't know what they all were, so I looked some of them up and thought I'd share:

    The info in quotes is verbatim from http://www.radiolabs.com/Articles/wifi-antenna.htm l

    Omni: (Omni-Directional)
    This is a standard antenna like you'd see on a cordless phone. Broadcasts the signal more or less equally in all directions.

    "An Omni-Directional antenna would serve as your main antenna to distribute the signal to other computers or devices"

    Yagi Antennas
    "Yagi antennas were the design of two Japanese people, Hidetsugu Yagi and Shintaro Uda, and are sometimes referred to as Yagi-Uda antennas...these antennas are typically very directional and are used for point to point."

    Yagis look like a ladder with one vertical bar in the center of each step.

    Backfire antennas
    "The backfire is a small directional antenna with excellent gain. They look similar to a parabolic dish, but the gain isn't as high."

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    DrMovieMovie.com:
    Witty movie reviews, eating contests, and a guy who once drank a gallon of milk in an hour.

  12. XML vs. XHTML vs. HTML on Why You Should Use XHTML · · Score: 2, Informative
    A quick summary of XML, and XHTML vs. HTML:

    XHTML is the next iteration of HTML. It is more formal and more strict, and (hopefully) more consistent. From http://www.w3schools.com/xhtml/xhtml_html.asp:

    XHTML vs. HTML:
    • XHTML elements must be properly nested
    • XHTML documents must be well-formed
    • Tag names must be in lowercase
    • All XHTML elements must be closed

    XML:
    XML is not really parallel to XHTML/HTML. It is more useful for defining data containers and storing data. It is another step along the path to separating content from presentation.

    From from http://www.ucc.ie/xml/#acro:
    "XML is actually a `metalanguage' --a language for describing other languages--which lets you design your own customized markup languages for limitless different types of documents."

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    Dr. Movie Movie: DrMovieMovie.com
    Tomorrow's media behemoth -- today's independent voice.
  13. Why SCO is a blessing on Groklaw Debunks SCO's ELF Heist · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Obviously this SCO stuff is a riot. And possibly a pain in the butt. But it does a couple of things:

    1. Gets Linux more press; this is good
    2. Proves that Linux has *serious* game, and can play with the big boys
    3. Shows legitimacy (see 2): publicly whooping SCO time and time again demonstrates the legimitacy of Linux and its IP.
    4. Entertains everyone: remember this? Everyone loves watching things crash and burn...

    So, after all, what's not to love?
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    Dr. Movie Movie, PhD: DrMovieMovie.com
    Witty movie reviews, eating contests, and a guy who once drank a gallon of milk in an hour.

  14. But independent voices do exist! on Ted Turner's Beef With Big Media · · Score: 1

    In this environment, most independent media firms either get gobbled up by one of the big companies or driven out of business altogether.

    While I totally agree with what Ted Turner says, I think he's missed one tiny thing: the freakin' internet. And digital TV. And the huge & growing increase in avenues of communication.

    While the major Networks may have more control over what *they* broadcast, there are significantly more options today outside of the major networks than there were ten years ago, and the number grows every year. The big networks are losing market share, and they are responding by more tightly controlling what they can, but it doesn't matter. As the internet becomes a viable medium for delivering video information, everything will shift away from network TV anyway.

    The choices are out there, you just have to look. You don't even have to look hard. Slashdot is an alternate voice, Salon is an alternate voice, Slate is an alternate voice. There are equivalents all over the spectrum. Get with it, Ted.

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    Dr. Movie Movie: DrMovieMovie.com
    The media behemoth of the future, today!

  15. Mirror of Images on Apollo 11 Photographs Unfrozen · · Score: 4, Informative

    As the site is rapidly getting slashdotted, here is a mirror of a few of the best images (more added as they become available and are awesome):

    Apollo 11 Mirror (select images)
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    ChipotleLovers.com
    Chipotle food, locations, pics, links, polls and discussion!

  16. Re:The Revolution on Joe Trippi Interviewed · · Score: 1

    Yeah, I think GSH was saying the revolution doesn't have anything to do with pop culture. That it's going to be something that happens largely outside the view of mainstream media and mainstream people. (Sounds like a small revolution). In addition, I think GSH may have had more of a problem with white people than Trippi does.

    The song lyrics are blazing hot:
    Lyrics

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    ChipotleLovers.com
    Chipotle food, locations, pics, links, polls and discussion!

  17. Interesting stuff from article... on Joe Trippi Interviewed · · Score: 3, Funny

    Dean's Newbie-ism:
    JT: When we started, Howard was sort of a technophobe; he'd barely just begun using e-mail. He didn't know what a blog was. He went from "What's a blog?" to coming into headquarters saying "I want to blog today." And by the end of the campaign, he was asking, "Why doesn't the White House have a blog? If I'm elected president, I'm going to have a blog."

    Problems of scale:
    JT: As we grew to 650,000 people, the site was still an amazing self-policing thing. The problem was, once you get to 650,000, how do you communicate with them personally the way I, as the campaign manager, or Dean, as the candidate, had been communicating with 432? I used to answer every email personally, and suddenly I was getting 10,000 emails a day. That's the thing I'd like to figure out for the future. It was the one big problem we had, because we'd built this thing on personal communication and connection.

    Solution to problem of scale:
    Obviously, they just need to run slashcode.

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    ChipotleLovers.com
    Chipotle food, locations, pics, links, polls and discussion!

  18. The Revolution on Joe Trippi Interviewed · · Score: 1

    Of course, Gil Scott Heron popularized the phrase 'the revolution will not be televised', in the album of the same name.

    And here is the blog for the change for america guys Joe Trippi is hooked up with.

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    ChipotleLovers.com
    Chipotle food, locations, pics, links, polls and discussion!

  19. Similar Article... on New Hiptop (Sidekick II) Photos · · Score: 4, Informative

    This article has not been slashdotted:
    Sidekick 2 Revealed
    ...and a couple pics here, if you scroll down.

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    Freedom or Evil: Freevil.net
    G. W. Bush says, "You decide!"

  20. Make your own circuit board on From Your PC to Reality in 3 Easy Steps · · Score: 4, Informative

    At work, we use www.protoexpress.com. They're similar to pad2pad for what we use them for, 'no-touch' custom circuits. No-touch means they don't do any verification of the board, and is what lets you get your own board quickly and inexpensively. We've had them do some pretty complex stuff without any problems. Their turn-around times are also very good (generally less than one week), and they are affordable and don't have any problems with small runs -- we often do only 2 prints of a new design.

    Of course, a significant portion of the time involved in this is in populating the board. Soldering 2,000 points is never any fun.
    ----------------------
    Freedom or Evil: Freevil.net
    G. W. Bush says, "You decide!"

  21. Finally. on Doom 3 System Requirements Revealed · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I feel that the world will be an overall happier place if more people have more RAM.

    Frankly, even if people may not realize it, they'll be *much* better off having more than 256 MB RAM. Dell etc. are definitely not benefitting their consumers by including only 256 mb ram in these behemoth computers people buy, especially if people are looking into doing serious photo editing, and DV. And if you are running XP, how can you expect to survive with 256? This is so frustrating...

    P.S. Half-life 2 requirements, Gabe Newell:

    Ideally, one should have a 2.4 Ghz processor, 512 MB of RAM, and a DirectX 9 enabled graphics card to fully partake in the title. Those with less powerful components shouldn't worry about upgrading unless their system specs fall below a 1.2 Ghz processor, 256 MB of RAM, and a DirectX 7 compatible graphics card.


    Of course, when HL2 game was due to be publish 25 years ago, these requirements were insane.

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    Freedom or Evil: Freevil.net
    G. W. Bush says, "You decide!"

  22. How Is This Different? on How Would You Handle a $1,000,000 Coding Error? · · Score: 1
    It seems to me that *all* technology, be it computerized or mechanical, hits problems at one point or another. It is just on a much larger scale when it's these huge sites.

    Remember how exciting it was when eBay went down? When Amazon and Yahoo went down? And when the freakin' root servers started going down?

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    Freedom or Evil: Freevil.net
    G. W. Bush says, "You decide!"
  23. A RAM Primer on Dual Channel Memory Shootout · · Score: 4, Informative

    And if you would just like a short introduction to what the heck RAM speed means, check out this excellent Arstechnica.com article:

    FSB and memory speeds

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    Freedom or Evil: Freevil.net
    G. W. Bush says, "You decide!"

  24. SCO investors *everywhere* catch on... on AutoZone Granted Limited Stay in SCO Copyright Case · · Score: 3, Interesting

    As Geeks have known ever since this whole SCO debacle started, SCO's claims are bunk. But up until relatively recently, SCO has had artificially high stock valuation as a result of their insane Linux ownership claims.

    About 1 year ago I tried to get approval for an options trading account so I could sell SCO short (ie make money when their stock drops). Unfortunately I didn't have sufficient liquid assets to get options trading approval from my trading company.

    Well, now the rest of the world has caught on, sort of; SCO is still up about 150% from two years ago, but down about 75% from its high. I think there is still a ways to fall...they certainly deserve it.

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    Freedom or Evil: Freevil.net
    G. W. Bush says, "You decide!"

  25. And this is the perfect way to implement it... on Mark Pesce: Open Source Television · · Score: 4, Informative

    And what better way to share Free stuff than the Internet?

    Nullsoft (of WinAmp/trouble-making fame) released NSV/Winamp TV. A good description:

    NSV is a new multimedia container format designed for network video streaming. The format is known as NullSoft Video or simply NSV. NSV was developed by Nullsoft corporation, the same company that produced the popular Winamp and Shoutcast streaming audio software.

    NSV consists of free software to encode, stream and view video. There are additional third party NSV applications being developed and distributed by stations and users.

    Visit here for more info

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    Freedom or Evil: Freevil.net
    G. W. Bush says, "You decide!"