I mentioned this in a few of the threads that asked about the hat, but I thought more people might see this if I posted a top level response. The penguin with the American flag hat is for wIndependence Day.:-)
Am I the only one wondering about the concept of taking water and electronics and combining them together? I mean, after all, one little leak and - zaaaaap. No more laptop.
IMO, things like ceramics would be much better, if for no other reason then that I've never heard of ceramics killing electronics (well, short of having a clay pot fall on a laptop or something).
Well, if Trillian's developers are anywhere close to as good as the Gaim developers they should make it. Afterall, Gaim had trouble connecting for quite a while, but its developers eventually got around the problems.
Please do, if you *really* have a problem with something I said, feel free to let me know. I see nothing wrong with my statement - it is reasonable from both an Free Software and Commercial standpoint.
Honestly the only problem I can see anyone having with it is the fact that I argue that there is nothing wrong with Sony charging a bit *less* than market value for all of the components. Something that reasonable "Linux geeks" should appreciate.
Your comments make sense, but let's think in new retail product terms:
-VGA Monitor cable from Sony - $30
-Decent USB Keyboard - $25
-Linux Distro with 2 DVD's - $60
-PS2 Network Adapter - $50 (I bet it will sell for more, actually).
-40 Gig Harddisk - $100
$30+$25+$60+$50+$100=$265. Now, you don't really expect Sony to sell *new* products for the same price as *used* stuff on eBay do you? Also, when you figure that if I want SuSE Linux Pro or MDK Linux ProPack (the two distros that come on DVD's) I'm looking at between $50-$140 depending on what type of deal I get.
Also you talk about a used 20 gig hard disk, this is a new 40 gig hard disk, that comes in a nice little case to make it easier to slip in and install. Finally, Sony has been working on this thing for over a year now, and they probably won't sell more than ten or twenty thousand of them, so going by the profit margins a company the size of Sony is use to, this thing isn't worth it at all(*).
I'm just glad they are interested in Linux...
-Tim
---
(*) Yes I know that they loose money on every PS2, but think how much they make off software. I certainly don't see them making "software money" off the PS2 Linux Kit, do you?
Uh, no he didn't. He said that all Americans should serve two-years (4,000 hrs.) of community service. He said nothing about military service, nor manditory service.
You know, it occurs to me, could Borland's compiler perhaps provide a way for distros to offer KDE and other large C++ apps without the prelinking problems we currently have with gcc? It wouldn't be a desirable permanent solution, but wouldn't that be cool?
From my experience with QNX, I think there are a lot of useful purposes of using QNX on the desktop (not that I do, I use Linux/X11/KDE). First, a light installation of QNX can run really well on an older system such as a 486 DX4 100 in my case (I used the 1.44 "Amazing Demo" on that on). It's amazingly snappy on such a system too!
Also if you go with a full QNX install (which is just a 90 meg iso), you get a decent web browser, RealPlayer, dev-tools, and IIRC a root-less version of X. In other words, QNX Photon really could be a very nice GUI for embedded "webpads" or low-end desktops that aren't quite ready to be retired yet. Since QNX has gnu tools and X11, it also isn't an entirely bad desktop on more modern systems either...
This would be great! Can you imagine if every
major computer magazine didn't come with AOL, but AOL Linux? Can you imagine
if AOL quit paying OEM's to include just AOL, but AOL on Linux? Also, if AOL
through it's support behind Linux, just think all of the companies that
will/would follow - Macromedia probably would port Shockwave, Real
would port *all* of RealOne, and so on.
I've often said that I thought AOL was the one company that seemed to be able
to out wit Microsoft (and it has a lot of cash too). Except for bringing AOL
users to Linux, I can't see what could be bad about this, and if even 25% of
AOL's users could eventually be convinced to move to Linux, it could have a
profound effect on our OS.
I might also note that AOL has already done a pretty good job with our
community - they are relicensing Mozilla under the NPL/GPL/LGPL
triple-license, they are porting WinAmp to Linux, they've ported AIM, etc. I
might add that AOL generally writes *native* Linux apps (i.e. GTK based
WinAmp and AIM) rather than some kind of sloppy port...
Also, just think if only the computers at AOL Time Warner switched to Linux - just think how many systems would switch!
Finally, if they treat RedHat like Nullsoft and to a lesser extent Netscape,
RH would probably be allowed to continue to function much the same way it
does now... Just with a media giant behind it.
...do you think this has something to do with HP's infamous support record catching up with them? I mean, overall I can't see why Compaq could help HP's PC division more than HP can, but perhaps the problem really is in support (or lack there of).
...Handspring was the first company to offer add ons for Palm, but I suspect this might have cost them their chance at dominating the market. While Handspring came out with their rather large (relatively speaking) Springboard modules, Palm, Sony, and Handera were able to sit back and come out with superior methods (i.e. SD Cards and Memory Sticks).
It seems to me this is sorta like what happened to Sega with the Dreamcast. The Dreamcast is a cool machine, but the technology that could be released a year later (for the PS2) is much nicer. I suppose, really, the tech industry is littered with tens, or hundreds, of such examples of the cost of too-early releases. If you come out too early your product dies, if you come out too late your product dies - and of course, if you come out against Microsoft... your product _and_ company die, and Microsoft releases something half as good in it's place. *sigh*
This device is extremely intriguing. It seems to correct itself where internet appliances where weakest - by basing themselves on an under powered platform that wasn't particularly useful for anything but browsing.
With a Linux core in this thing, 17" monitor, built in Word Processor, and demos for Loki games (which makes me assume the full versions are easy to install), this looks like a winner. This unit actually looks like it's useful enough to justify it's price unlike the appliances we have seen before it...
...but still it was a good article. From transcripts of his speeches though, I have to wonder if he isn't the best orator and statesman that Open Source has.
Not being a particular fan of RedHat, I still have to stop and read things related to Tiemann - too bad Mandrake didn't get him.;-)
Is anyone familiar with how CD-DA copy protection works? For instance, why do certain players (such as some DVD-ROM drives, and apparently the upcoming Phillips drive) seem to miss the copy protection while others do not (and further still, while allowing normal CD players to still play the music).
Generally, I haven't heard of companies making drives copy protection friendly or not, so I was just wondering how they get all of this to work. Kinda boggles my mind. 8-)
You are definately over simplifying the jobs of the Slashdot editors. As the editor of a much smaller open source related news site (www.ofb.biz), I can tell you from experience that it takes a lot of time to find good news stories. Sure, the Slashdot editors receive many submissions, but is it really that much easier to sort through thousands of submissions? I certainly don't envy that job.
Also, I think you over look the fact that Slashdot works more like a "clearing house" for information, rather than a source of original content. For instance, this interesting story about Sony - would you have found it if not for Slashdot or some similar site? Probably not, unless you regularly read Japanese publications. I can't tell you how many things I wouldn't have read about on Linux, Microsoft, Computer Hardware, even science and other non-computer news if not for Slashdot. It's also worth noting that during the the aftermath of the WTC attack, when sites like CNN.com where struggling to hold on, Slashdot provided it's viewers with timely information and links which were much appreciated by (I'm sure) many people other than myself.
Finally, I think you are overlooking the fact that a site requires a lot more work than content alone. Whether it be updating and moving things over to a new version of Slashcode, fixing some newly discovered bug, or just trying to figure out an annoying MySQL error, sites - especially large ones - require a *lot* of work to keep up.
Anyway, perhaps Slashdot isn't for you, but to call it an easy job, or to say Slashdot's information isn't for those who think - is just plain silly. Unless of course you already knew everything about artificial eyes (see stories from earlier today), and have already started planning your own billion transistor processor (see the story about Intel from yesterday).
Slashdot Mirror
Actually, we won't, because LDN doesn't need to make money. LDN has already has guaranteed sponsorship from its member sites.
-Tim
I mentioned this in a few of the threads that asked about the hat, but I thought more people might see this if I posted a top level response. The penguin with the American flag hat is for wIndependence Day. :-)
Best,
Tim (LDN Founding Member - OfB.biz)
No, it is for wIndependence day. We certainly aren't attacking our friends at LWN.
-Tim (LDN Founding Member)
No the penguin is for wIndependence Day, sponsored by DesktopLinux.com, an LDN member.
Best,
Tim
It's running a blend of a very light weight version of PHP-Nuke and custom caching scripts I wrote.
Best,
Timothy R. Butler
Open for Business/Universal Networks
Am I the only one wondering about the concept of taking water and electronics and combining them together? I mean, after all, one little leak and - zaaaaap. No more laptop.
IMO, things like ceramics would be much better, if for no other reason then that I've never heard of ceramics killing electronics (well, short of having a clay pot fall on a laptop or something).
-Tim
Well, if Trillian's developers are anywhere close to as good as the Gaim developers they should make it. Afterall, Gaim had trouble connecting for quite a while, but its developers eventually got around the problems.
-Tim
Ahhhhhhh! Please, you are giving me nightmares! Please find a different victim! I will reform my typographical ways! ;-)
Hehehe, thanks Mr. LoseNotLooseGuy. I should be much more careful with my spelling. :-)
-Tim
Please do, if you *really* have a problem with something I said, feel free to let me know. I see nothing wrong with my statement - it is reasonable from both an Free Software and Commercial standpoint.
Honestly the only problem I can see anyone having with it is the fact that I argue that there is nothing wrong with Sony charging a bit *less* than market value for all of the components. Something that reasonable "Linux geeks" should appreciate.
-Tim
Care to explain why? What'd I do? Oh, and I don't ride horses - I ride penguins.
Oh, and lest I forget to mention it also comes with the PS2 Runtime and documentation, stuff that Sony probably charges more than $200 for alone.
-Tim
Your comments make sense, but let's think in new retail product terms:
-VGA Monitor cable from Sony - $30
-Decent USB Keyboard - $25
-Linux Distro with 2 DVD's - $60
-PS2 Network Adapter - $50 (I bet it will sell for more, actually).
-40 Gig Harddisk - $100
$30+$25+$60+$50+$100=$265. Now, you don't really expect Sony to sell *new* products for the same price as *used* stuff on eBay do you? Also, when you figure that if I want SuSE Linux Pro or MDK Linux ProPack (the two distros that come on DVD's) I'm looking at between $50-$140 depending on what type of deal I get.
Also you talk about a used 20 gig hard disk, this is a new 40 gig hard disk, that comes in a nice little case to make it easier to slip in and install. Finally, Sony has been working on this thing for over a year now, and they probably won't sell more than ten or twenty thousand of them, so going by the profit margins a company the size of Sony is use to, this thing isn't worth it at all(*).
I'm just glad they are interested in Linux...
-Tim
---
(*) Yes I know that they loose money on every PS2, but think how much they make off software. I certainly don't see them making "software money" off the PS2 Linux Kit, do you?
Uh, no he didn't. He said that all Americans should serve two-years (4,000 hrs.) of community service. He said nothing about military service, nor manditory service.
-Tim
I think a lot of the reason it makes sense for them, is that they don't open their code, they just encourage open sourcers to adopt their products.
-Tim
You know, it occurs to me, could Borland's compiler perhaps provide a way for distros to offer KDE and other large C++ apps without the prelinking problems we currently have with gcc? It wouldn't be a desirable permanent solution, but wouldn't that be cool?
-Tim
From my experience with QNX, I think there are a lot of useful purposes of using QNX on the desktop (not that I do, I use Linux/X11/KDE). First, a light installation of QNX can run really well on an older system such as a 486 DX4 100 in my case (I used the 1.44 "Amazing Demo" on that on). It's amazingly snappy on such a system too!
Also if you go with a full QNX install (which is just a 90 meg iso), you get a decent web browser, RealPlayer, dev-tools, and IIRC a root-less version of X. In other words, QNX Photon really could be a very nice GUI for embedded "webpads" or low-end desktops that aren't quite ready to be retired yet. Since QNX has gnu tools and X11, it also isn't an entirely bad desktop on more modern systems either...
-Tim
This would be great! Can you imagine if every
major computer magazine didn't come with AOL, but AOL Linux? Can you imagine
if AOL quit paying OEM's to include just AOL, but AOL on Linux? Also, if AOL
through it's support behind Linux, just think all of the companies that
will/would follow - Macromedia probably would port Shockwave, Real
would port *all* of RealOne, and so on.
I've often said that I thought AOL was the one company that seemed to be able
to out wit Microsoft (and it has a lot of cash too). Except for bringing AOL
users to Linux, I can't see what could be bad about this, and if even 25% of
AOL's users could eventually be convinced to move to Linux, it could have a
profound effect on our OS.
I might also note that AOL has already done a pretty good job with our
community - they are relicensing Mozilla under the NPL/GPL/LGPL
triple-license, they are porting WinAmp to Linux, they've ported AIM, etc. I
might add that AOL generally writes *native* Linux apps (i.e. GTK based
WinAmp and AIM) rather than some kind of sloppy port...
Also, just think if only the computers at AOL Time Warner switched to Linux - just think how many systems would switch!
Finally, if they treat RedHat like Nullsoft and to a lesser extent Netscape,
RH would probably be allowed to continue to function much the same way it
does now... Just with a media giant behind it.
-Tim
...do you think this has something to do with HP's infamous support record catching up with them? I mean, overall I can't see why Compaq could help HP's PC division more than HP can, but perhaps the problem really is in support (or lack there of).
-Tim
...Handspring was the first company to offer add ons for Palm, but I suspect this might have cost them their chance at dominating the market. While Handspring came out with their rather large (relatively speaking) Springboard modules, Palm, Sony, and Handera were able to sit back and come out with superior methods (i.e. SD Cards and Memory Sticks).
It seems to me this is sorta like what happened to Sega with the Dreamcast. The Dreamcast is a cool machine, but the technology that could be released a year later (for the PS2) is much nicer. I suppose, really, the tech industry is littered with tens, or hundreds, of such examples of the cost of too-early releases. If you come out too early your product dies, if you come out too late your product dies - and of course, if you come out against Microsoft... your product _and_ company die, and Microsoft releases something half as good in it's place. *sigh*
-Tim
This device is extremely intriguing. It seems to correct itself where internet appliances where weakest - by basing themselves on an under powered platform that wasn't particularly useful for anything but browsing.
With a Linux core in this thing, 17" monitor, built in Word Processor, and demos for Loki games (which makes me assume the full versions are easy to install), this looks like a winner. This unit actually looks like it's useful enough to justify it's price unlike the appliances we have seen before it...
-Tim
Thanks Graymalkin, that was helpful. :-) It's certainly interesting stuff.
-Tim
...but still it was a good article. From transcripts of his speeches though, I have to wonder if he isn't the best orator and statesman that Open Source has. ;-)
Not being a particular fan of RedHat, I still have to stop and read things related to Tiemann - too bad Mandrake didn't get him.
-Tim
Is anyone familiar with how CD-DA copy protection works? For instance, why do certain players (such as some DVD-ROM drives, and apparently the upcoming Phillips drive) seem to miss the copy protection while others do not (and further still, while allowing normal CD players to still play the music).
Generally, I haven't heard of companies making drives copy protection friendly or not, so I was just wondering how they get all of this to work. Kinda boggles my mind. 8-)
Thanks,
Tim
You are definately over simplifying the jobs of the Slashdot editors. As the editor of a much smaller open source related news site (www.ofb.biz), I can tell you from experience that it takes a lot of time to find good news stories. Sure, the Slashdot editors receive many submissions, but is it really that much easier to sort through thousands of submissions? I certainly don't envy that job.
Also, I think you over look the fact that Slashdot works more like a "clearing house" for information, rather than a source of original content. For instance, this interesting story about Sony - would you have found it if not for Slashdot or some similar site? Probably not, unless you regularly read Japanese publications. I can't tell you how many things I wouldn't have read about on Linux, Microsoft, Computer Hardware, even science and other non-computer news if not for Slashdot. It's also worth noting that during the the aftermath of the WTC attack, when sites like CNN.com where struggling to hold on, Slashdot provided it's viewers with timely information and links which were much appreciated by (I'm sure) many people other than myself.
Finally, I think you are overlooking the fact that a site requires a lot more work than content alone. Whether it be updating and moving things over to a new version of Slashcode, fixing some newly discovered bug, or just trying to figure out an annoying MySQL error, sites - especially large ones - require a *lot* of work to keep up.
Anyway, perhaps Slashdot isn't for you, but to call it an easy job, or to say Slashdot's information isn't for those who think - is just plain silly. Unless of course you already knew everything about artificial eyes (see stories from earlier today), and have already started planning your own billion transistor processor (see the story about Intel from yesterday).