Copyright protects the expression of an idea, it doesn't mean the idea is unique, only that the expression is original. So if I sat down and wrote my own dictionary using my own wordings for the definitions, I could certainly claim copyright on it. That's in fact what dictionary companies do... they basically rewrite definitions to publish new editions that are protected by copyright even if the older editions run out of copyright protection. Same thing happens with translations of old Latin and Greek works -- the original text isn't subject to copyright, but the translations sure are. That's why publishers commission new translations every (long) once in a while.
I've heard of dictionary compilers sometimes throwing in spurious definitions or other errors. If someone copies a dictionary verbatim to make their "own" dictionary it then becomes easy to show that they violated the original dictionary's copyright. Hopefully these "errors" don't happen too often:-)
It's true, in some ways client-side Java was ahead of its time in terms of technology. I think the biggest problem was the botched job that the browsers did in implementing Java support. Like how Netscape supported Java 1.1 except for the new AWT classes. Dumb, dumb, dumb. Sun would have been better off developing the Java Plug-in right from the start instead of relying on Netscape and Microsoft.
no right to interfere with what a person does on their private land
It's more about regulating what happens above the private land rather than on the private land. How far above your land does your ownership extend?
Besides, if you build a rocket and launch it from your private land and land on me as I sit (in private) in my washroom, it's too late to go to the courts!
This, of course, is why most SF stories in space use a naval system when discussing the military. Star Trek does it that way, for example. And in most cases, when the ship is out of communication range then what the captain generally says is the law. Particularly in stories like Midshipman's Hope and its sequels.
The author is the publisher. Lulu.com just prints the PDF that the author submitted. This is the danger of self-publishing, of course, the fact that you can skip over the normal steps in the publication process such as copyediting, page layout, indexing, etc. Not that you can't self-publish a professional-looking book, but it does take additional work -- you're not done once you've written the text.
Eric My books (published via a traditional publisher)
It will be interesting to see how this develops. Obviously, the biggest selling feature of this scenario is that it gives OS licensees the ability to run the extensive set of preexisting Palm OS applications while letting them do more sophisticated things under the covers without running into Palm OS's limitations. The only hitch is the GUI, which will have to use the Palm OS APIs, so Linux apps will still need a piece written specifically for these devices. It may not be an issue in all cases, though, especially with interpreted languages. A Linux version of Java could perhaps reimplement one of the GUI toolkits in Palm OS terms.
a) the cost of a new wireless device that supports this technology
b) the average damage to your car when you hit a tree while trying to watch a video on your phone
c) per-year productivity lost to phone-based instant messaging
d) your new monthly cellphone bill
Yeah, this kind of "viral marketing" is nothing new. Time Magazine published an article in 2000 about the viral marketing efforts for Christina Aguilera that helped her "make it". Plenty of software companies already have "Team XXXX" or "MVP" programs that reward non-employees who answer questions and help others fix problems, and most of them do it for no payment. Those latter programs usually start as a grassroots, informal kind of thing, though, and these guys are trying to formalize the process to make it more predictable and more controllable.
Re:Great - there goes free unlimited in network ca
on
VOIP Meets Cell Phones
·
· Score: 1
This reminds me of "unlimited" long distance for landlines. Here in Canada, some phone companies offered unlimited long distance (evening, nights and weekends) for $20/month. Apparently, though, enough people were using this that some of them had to slap on limits of like 800 hours or so per month. I think this was due to excessive long-distance calls for dial-up Internet connections.
Anyhow, the point I'm making is that whether or not a plan is truly "unlimited" or merely "high threshold", I bet the phone company that people won't be calling excessively, no matter how attractive the plan. Kind of the same way that planes will overbook flights on the assumption that not everyone will actually show up for the flight.
If this kind of scheme ends up using a lot of wireless bandwidth, the phone companies may take corrective action...
I can't say I'm too interested in the debate -- nothing new here, folks -- but I do like the reference Tim Bray made to Joel Spolsky's essay Things You Should Never Do, Part 1 about the dangers of rewriting code from scratch instead of trying to work with the existing code base. It's an old piece, but I hadn't come across it yet, and I like what he says. Go give it a read, then enjoy your weekend.
Eric
See Wiliam Shatner on my cereal box (soon to be updated)
Re:Great - there goes free unlimited in network ca
on
VOIP Meets Cell Phones
·
· Score: 1
Aren't most "unlimited" plans actually "high limit" plans? In other words, they're not truly unlimited, they just have very high thresholds and the phone companies count on the fact that most people never reach those thresholds. Check the fine print on your plan... even if there's no expicit threshold, the phone company may still be able to charge you for "unusually high" usage.
I've used LowCostDomains.ca for a few. They charge $17.45 (Canadian kilopennies) for.ca domains, haven't had any problems pointing them to the DNS my web host (KGB Internet Solutions, also Canadian and great for Java hosting, though the name may former residents of the Soviet Union a pause) maintains.
Is there an alternative to GoDaddy that is just as cheap but doesn't force you to go through all those annoying ads on the way to the checkout counter?
If anyone's interested, I have some land in northern Alberta (Peace River) that can be had... mind you, it gets pretty cold there in the winter (nothing like going to school when it's -40 out!) so you might only want it as a summer property. Especially if global warming actually makes winters worse -- speculation on my part, that wasn't addressed by the article.
Slashdot Mirror
Copyright protects the expression of an idea, it doesn't mean the idea is unique, only that the expression is original. So if I sat down and wrote my own dictionary using my own wordings for the definitions, I could certainly claim copyright on it. That's in fact what dictionary companies do... they basically rewrite definitions to publish new editions that are protected by copyright even if the older editions run out of copyright protection. Same thing happens with translations of old Latin and Greek works -- the original text isn't subject to copyright, but the translations sure are. That's why publishers commission new translations every (long) once in a while.
I've heard of dictionary compilers sometimes throwing in spurious definitions or other errors. If someone copies a dictionary verbatim to make their "own" dictionary it then becomes easy to show that they violated the original dictionary's copyright. Hopefully these "errors" don't happen too often :-)
EricWhy Vioxx is the new Prozac (for lawyers)
Hopefully they understand how to detect Internet Explorer server-side and further encourage relunctant students to switch.
EricIt's true, in some ways client-side Java was ahead of its time in terms of technology. I think the biggest problem was the botched job that the browsers did in implementing Java support. Like how Netscape supported Java 1.1 except for the new AWT classes. Dumb, dumb, dumb. Sun would have been better off developing the Java Plug-in right from the start instead of relying on Netscape and Microsoft.
EricDeploying Java applets (old set of tips)
no right to interfere with what a person does on their private land
It's more about regulating what happens above the private land rather than on the private land. How far above your land does your ownership extend?
Besides, if you build a rocket and launch it from your private land and land on me as I sit (in private) in my washroom, it's too late to go to the courts!
EricPlease, people: JavaScript is not Java
This, of course, is why most SF stories in space use a naval system when discussing the military. Star Trek does it that way, for example. And in most cases, when the ship is out of communication range then what the captain generally says is the law. Particularly in stories like Midshipman's Hope and its sequels.
EricWhy Vioxx is the new Prozac for lawyers
The author is the publisher. Lulu.com just prints the PDF that the author submitted. This is the danger of self-publishing, of course, the fact that you can skip over the normal steps in the publication process such as copyediting, page layout, indexing, etc. Not that you can't self-publish a professional-looking book, but it does take additional work -- you're not done once you've written the text.
EricMy books (published via a traditional publisher)
A few reasons:
- A large base of existing handheld apps
- A well-designed UI for mobile devices
- A familiar brand for consumers
- Longer-term, may make for easier porting of Palm OS to new devices
EricView your HTTP headers here
It will be interesting to see how this develops. Obviously, the biggest selling feature of this scenario is that it gives OS licensees the ability to run the extensive set of preexisting Palm OS applications while letting them do more sophisticated things under the covers without running into Palm OS's limitations. The only hitch is the GUI, which will have to use the Palm OS APIs, so Linux apps will still need a piece written specifically for these devices. It may not be an issue in all cases, though, especially with interpreted languages. A Linux version of Java could perhaps reimplement one of the GUI toolkits in Palm OS terms.
EricCrufty stuff: Palm Database Programming: the free electronic version
Multiple choice:
a) the cost of a new wireless device that supports this technology
Ericb) the average damage to your car when you hit a tree while trying to watch a video on your phone
c) per-year productivity lost to phone-based instant messaging
d) your new monthly cellphone bill
JavaScript != Java
The final comment was "This is a significant development", but in what way?
Ender will soon be here!
I like to have something to blame
Don't underestimate human creativity. There will always be something you can blame:
When machines can come up with the same creative excuses, that's when we should worry.
Ericyou could just shamelessly push your product on Slashdot pretty much every post you get
Surely nobody does such a thing!
EricBuy my upcoming book | Buy my previous books | Learn why Vioxx reduced spam
It'll be easier to parse, but it won't be any more accurate.
EricYeah, this kind of "viral marketing" is nothing new. Time Magazine published an article in 2000 about the viral marketing efforts for Christina Aguilera that helped her "make it". Plenty of software companies already have "Team XXXX" or "MVP" programs that reward non-employees who answer questions and help others fix problems, and most of them do it for no payment. Those latter programs usually start as a grassroots, informal kind of thing, though, and these guys are trying to formalize the process to make it more predictable and more controllable.
EricTired of MySQL? Develop with ASA for free (that's my viral marketing plug!)
Yeah, they're going about this all wrong. They should be selling this stuff to pharmacies and hospitals -- that's where the technology will be useful!
EricVioxx recall parody
This reminds me of "unlimited" long distance for landlines. Here in Canada, some phone companies offered unlimited long distance (evening, nights and weekends) for $20/month. Apparently, though, enough people were using this that some of them had to slap on limits of like 800 hours or so per month. I think this was due to excessive long-distance calls for dial-up Internet connections.
Anyhow, the point I'm making is that whether or not a plan is truly "unlimited" or merely "high threshold", I bet the phone company that people won't be calling excessively, no matter how attractive the plan. Kind of the same way that planes will overbook flights on the assumption that not everyone will actually show up for the flight.
If this kind of scheme ends up using a lot of wireless bandwidth, the phone companies may take corrective action...
EricI can't say I'm too interested in the debate -- nothing new here, folks -- but I do like the reference Tim Bray made to Joel Spolsky's essay Things You Should Never Do, Part 1 about the dangers of rewriting code from scratch instead of trying to work with the existing code base. It's an old piece, but I hadn't come across it yet, and I like what he says. Go give it a read, then enjoy your weekend.
EricSee Wiliam Shatner on my cereal box (soon to be updated)
Aren't most "unlimited" plans actually "high limit" plans? In other words, they're not truly unlimited, they just have very high thresholds and the phone companies count on the fact that most people never reach those thresholds. Check the fine print on your plan... even if there's no expicit threshold, the phone company may still be able to charge you for "unusually high" usage.
EricMy cellphone customer disservice story
For the curious, these two patent applications (note they're just applications at this stage) by Google cover most of the AdSense/AdWords technology:
Methods and apparatus for serving relevant advertisements
Serving advertisements based on content
EricWho is publishing a book about AdSense in the spring
I've used LowCostDomains.ca for a few. They charge $17.45 (Canadian kilopennies) for .ca domains, haven't had any problems pointing them to the DNS my web host (KGB Internet Solutions, also Canadian and great for Java hosting, though the name may former residents of the Soviet Union a pause) maintains.
EricCheck your HTTP headers here
Is there an alternative to GoDaddy that is just as cheap but doesn't force you to go through all those annoying ads on the way to the checkout counter?
Eric
GroupWise must be gaining traction. Research In Motion is going to support it for its BlackBerry platform it:
BlackBerry Enterprise Server support for Novell GroupWise
EricSome BlackBerry programming stuff
If anyone's interested, I have some land in northern Alberta (Peace River) that can be had... mind you, it gets pretty cold there in the winter (nothing like going to school when it's -40 out!) so you might only want it as a summer property. Especially if global warming actually makes winters worse -- speculation on my part, that wasn't addressed by the article.
EricHow to detect Internet Explorer from the headers
Also check out SQL For Smarties (love that name!).
EricDownload the free version of SQL Anywhere Studio
Probably cheaper to buy a Slashdot subscription so you can quickly post comments to relevant stories! :-)
Eric (here's another business model