I suspect a lot of people use Lexmark printers because they came for "free" with their computer systems, and they feel obligated to use it instead of going out and buying a competitor's printer. That's the real loss-leader there, I think...
if Arkeia Network Backup had been open source software
Well, it kind of is open source software... install it and it opens up your source (and pretty much anything stored on your computer) to anyone who wants it!
It's definitely going to be an interesting time. RIM has announced a WiFi-only device, for example, that supports VoIP to a SIP server. It looks like they're aiming it at people who need access to email as they move through buildings and campuses with WiFi coverage. Something similar from other devices will surely prove popular.
... and in related news, Electronic Arts has announced that it's pursuing court certification for its Sims games series. "I'm absolutely certain they're certifiable," said a company spokesman, though it was unclear if he was referring to the games or the players. "And we've already incorporated sophisticated PC crash behaviors right into the game," he added. Details to follow at 11.
Slightly off-topic, but very amusing paragraph I came across in my copyright searches:
How do I protect my sighting of Elvis? Copyright law does not protect sightings. However, copyright law will protect your photo (or other depiction) of your sighting of Elvis. Just send it to us with a Form VA application and the $30 filing fee. No one can lawfully use your photo of your sighting, although someone else may file his own photo of his sighting. Copyright law protects the original photograph, not the subject of the photograph.
If the Asimov estate sued, he'd just have to point them to the issue of Asimov's where Isaac himself stated that you can't copyright titles. Now, an argument could be made for trademarking titles in certain circumstances, but in general a title doesn't qualify for protection.
Not sure why this is such a big deal. The VoIP providers up here in Canada already let you choose the area code you want. In fact, it's one of their big selling features for home-based businesses or for people who have family and friends in different area codes. The selection of area codes isn't unlimited, but it covers all the big urban areas.
It is funny how they're making a big deal of this. Good customer service is just Marketing 101 -- check any marketing textbook.
Contrast eBay with Google, whose customer service has always been exemplary. Whenever I have an AdSense question, I just shoot them an email. I get back an automated response saying they've gotten my email and then later -- a couple of days at most -- I get back a response from a human. If I'm not satisfied I just mail back to the person who sent my response... haven't had any problems I couldn't deal with that way. That's the way it should be.
where do we draw the line between complex and common
The test is that the invention (at the time it was invented) was not obvious to someone skilled in the area/field of the invention. If it was commonly known at the time then it won't qualify. There are other conditions, too, described on the USPTO website. Actually, they say it better than I did: "it may be said to be nonobvious to a person having ordinary skill in the area of technology related to the invention".
It sure sounds like those "parabolic" TV antennas guaranteed to boost your reception after just a few viewings, doesn't it? Not to be cynical, but:
Using latest nanotechnology research, (we read an issue of Wired) BatMax developed the first cellphone battery life booster that extends the mobile phone battery life (which is why we call it a "battery life booster") and reduces charging time. BatMax is based on the IonXR, a new exclusively developed nanoceramic material, (we grind ceramic tiles into a fine dust) resulting from years of laboratory research (it was hard to grind them small enough). BatMax foil slows down the loss of capacity of Ni-CD, Ni-MH, Li-Ion and Li-Polymer batteries (we guarantee it works the same on all of these) and thus provides improved battery performance (not to be redundant again). BatMax is a small (1.14 x 1.92 in) rectangular sticker (we sandwich the dust between some sticky aluminum foil) which is installed on the mobile phone battery (the hard part was keeping it really thin). Users just need to attach BatMax to the battery or the cellphone (where they'll quickly forget about it once the cover's back on). They claim users will notice a battery life improvement after 5 to 10 charging cycles (by then the placebo effect should kick in).
To be proper, it's not javascript or Javascript, it's JavaScript. Although really if everyone referred to it as ECMAScript there would be less confusion.
People mean different things when they say "embedded". Do you mean "embedded" as in actually part of the application, or do you mean "embedded" as in the database is a server process on the same device (no networking involved)? It wasn't clear from the post.
There are in fact two database technologies in SQL Anywhere Studio. First there is Adaptive Server Anywhere, the full-featured relational database that runs on all the platforms mentioned. Second is UltraLite, a small-footprint database for Palm OS and Windows CE platforms. One or both of these will fit the two "embedded" definitions, it depends on what you want. (UltraLite is the technology for the "true" embedded scenario.) Data from either can be synced to another database using MobiLink or SQL Remote, depending on what kind of replication model you're looking for.
Hey, I like Java as much as anyone, but if you're looking for a fast, multi-platform, zero-administration database be sure to check out SQL Anywhere Studio. The Developer Edition is completely free and runs on Linux, Solaris, Mac OS X, Netware and most flavors of Windows, including CE/PocketPC. See the description of what's in SQL Anywhere Studio for details. (Note that some of you may remember SQL Anywhere as Watcom SQL.)
Slashdot Mirror
Google's initiative to digitalize
Am I the only one who thought this was a spelling mistake? But no, according to American Heritage Dictionary:
In light of the first meaning, however, "digitalize" still sounds vaguely medical to me in a drop-your-pants-and-bend-over fashion...
EricI suspect a lot of people use Lexmark printers because they came for "free" with their computer systems, and they feel obligated to use it instead of going out and buying a competitor's printer. That's the real loss-leader there, I think...
EricJavaScript is NOT Java
If only grid computers would make intelligent first posts possible -- then they'd really be worthwhile!
Section 404 talks about protecting the "integrity" of financial data.
Indeed, if I got a 404 error while doing my online banking I'd be worried!
Ericif Arkeia Network Backup had been open source software
Well, it kind of is open source software... install it and it opens up your source (and pretty much anything stored on your computer) to anyone who wants it!
EricSee what headers your browser is sending
Imagine there's no Google
It's easy if you try
All the good stuff is below
The crap above makes you cry
Imagine all the people
Longing for the day...
(With apologies to John Lennon)
EricJavaScript is NOT Java
It's definitely going to be an interesting time. RIM has announced a WiFi-only device, for example, that supports VoIP to a SIP server. It looks like they're aiming it at people who need access to email as they move through buildings and campuses with WiFi coverage. Something similar from other devices will surely prove popular.
EricHow to detect Internet Explorer
... and in related news, Electronic Arts has announced that it's pursuing court certification for its Sims games series. "I'm absolutely certain they're certifiable," said a company spokesman, though it was unclear if he was referring to the games or the players. "And we've already incorporated sophisticated PC crash behaviors right into the game," he added. Details to follow at 11.
EricWilliam Shatner, the unknown cereal box celebrity
Apparently Bill doesn't like it, though: Microsoft's Gates Endures PC Crash During Keynote Speech.
EricSee your HTTP headers live
No, apparently it's a discontinued tent. Comes in white, though.
EricSlightly off-topic, but very amusing paragraph I came across in my copyright searches:
How do I protect my sighting of Elvis?
Copyright law does not protect sightings. However, copyright law will protect your photo (or other depiction) of your sighting of Elvis. Just send it to us with a Form VA application and the $30 filing fee. No one can lawfully use your photo of your sighting, although someone else may file his own photo of his sighting. Copyright law protects the original photograph, not the subject of the photograph.
From What does copyright protect?
EricIf the Asimov estate sued, he'd just have to point them to the issue of Asimov's where Isaac himself stated that you can't copyright titles. Now, an argument could be made for trademarking titles in certain circumstances, but in general a title doesn't qualify for protection.
References:
- Copyright protection not available for names, titles, or short phrases
- Protection of literary titles
EricVioxx recall reduces spam (humor)
JavaScript is not Java! (serious)
Not sure why this is such a big deal. The VoIP providers up here in Canada already let you choose the area code you want. In fact, it's one of their big selling features for home-based businesses or for people who have family and friends in different area codes. The selection of area codes isn't unlimited, but it covers all the big urban areas.
EricVioxx is Prozac for lawyers
A short Gaul whose best friend is Obelix... oh, wait, I thought you meant Asterix, not Asterisk...
EricSee your HTTP headers here
It is funny how they're making a big deal of this. Good customer service is just Marketing 101 -- check any marketing textbook.
Contrast eBay with Google, whose customer service has always been exemplary. Whenever I have an AdSense question, I just shoot them an email. I get back an automated response saying they've gotten my email and then later -- a couple of days at most -- I get back a response from a human. If I'm not satisfied I just mail back to the person who sent my response... haven't had any problems I couldn't deal with that way. That's the way it should be.
EricSee what I mean here: AdSense tips
Other than barely-visible Vesta, this is a first.
Then it isn't a first, is it? Or is this the same kind of logic that says that a "near miss" isn't actually a hit?
EricHow to detect Internet Explorer
Note that smartphone sales are on the rise. Standalone PDAs are suffering, but the integrated devices are taking off.
EricJ2ME articles and stuff
Oh, I dunno, you might be able to grill a steak on this printer.
EricTalk about being hungry an hour after eating...
Next we'll learn how to grill steaks on a Lexmark printer... soon there will be no need to leave the computer room for lunch!
EricSee your browser's HTTP headers
where do we draw the line between complex and common
The test is that the invention (at the time it was invented) was not obvious to someone skilled in the area/field of the invention. If it was commonly known at the time then it won't qualify. There are other conditions, too, described on the USPTO website. Actually, they say it better than I did: "it may be said to be nonobvious to a person having ordinary skill in the area of technology related to the invention".
EricSome Vioxx spam humor
It sure sounds like those "parabolic" TV antennas guaranteed to boost your reception after just a few viewings, doesn't it? Not to be cynical, but:
Using latest nanotechnology research, (we read an issue of Wired)
EricBatMax developed the first cellphone battery life booster that extends the mobile phone battery life (which is why we call it a "battery life booster")
and reduces charging time. BatMax is based on the IonXR, a new exclusively developed nanoceramic material, (we grind ceramic tiles into a fine dust)
resulting from years of laboratory research (it was hard to grind them small enough).
BatMax foil slows down the loss of capacity of Ni-CD, Ni-MH, Li-Ion and Li-Polymer batteries (we guarantee it works the same on all of these)
and thus provides improved battery performance (not to be redundant again).
BatMax is a small (1.14 x 1.92 in) rectangular sticker (we sandwich the dust between some sticky aluminum foil)
which is installed on the mobile phone battery (the hard part was keeping it really thin).
Users just need to attach BatMax to the battery or the cellphone (where they'll quickly forget about it once the cover's back on).
They claim users will notice a battery life improvement after 5 to 10 charging cycles (by then the placebo effect should kick in).
The Vioxx recall and spam reduction
It's true, overuse of ALT attributes can just add noise to a page.
For a good overview of Web accessibility, check out the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessbility Guidelines.
EricWhy is William Shatner's face on my cereal box?
To be proper, it's not javascript or Javascript, it's JavaScript. Although really if everyone referred to it as ECMAScript there would be less confusion.
EricPeople mean different things when they say "embedded". Do you mean "embedded" as in actually part of the application, or do you mean "embedded" as in the database is a server process on the same device (no networking involved)? It wasn't clear from the post.
There are in fact two database technologies in SQL Anywhere Studio. First there is Adaptive Server Anywhere, the full-featured relational database that runs on all the platforms mentioned. Second is UltraLite, a small-footprint database for Palm OS and Windows CE platforms. One or both of these will fit the two "embedded" definitions, it depends on what you want. (UltraLite is the technology for the "true" embedded scenario.) Data from either can be synced to another database using MobiLink or SQL Remote, depending on what kind of replication model you're looking for.
EricHey, I like Java as much as anyone, but if you're looking for a fast, multi-platform, zero-administration database be sure to check out SQL Anywhere Studio. The Developer Edition is completely free and runs on Linux, Solaris, Mac OS X, Netware and most flavors of Windows, including CE/PocketPC. See the description of what's in SQL Anywhere Studio for details. (Note that some of you may remember SQL Anywhere as Watcom SQL.)
EricListen, folks: JavaScript is NOT Java!