The reason OSS markets fail is because they try to sell distributions of software I can ftp to get.
What they should sell is training and "certification" material. e.g. its nice to download 7 cds and call it Redhat. Its another thing to know how to use all of its functionality.
Nah, I think patents on software and algorithms are a good idea. Provided the algorithms are distinct and original enough. Stupid little "patent-ups" where they pattent minor changes to ideas are a waste of time.
For example, LZW was a minor change in LZ78 and should not have gotten a patent. Now, patents on LZ77/78 would be "original" and disctinct.
A DNS entry is just a line in a database. If it is found that the domain is registered in bad faith [i.e I squat your companies name and don't really provide any content on the page] why can't the DNS server owners just refuse to host the squatter?
That way the squatter can own the name, but nobody will be able to look it up properly.
attempt to peddle a script language and sell a book. Geez, this is no better than Ruby, Rodel, Python, etc..
I admit PERL is neat, has many uses and generally belongs in every OS just like a fresh copy of GCC does.
But I don't see the merit in turning PERL into a huge fullfledged programming language. The intent of PERL was to expand upon shell scripts. I think to a large degree that has been achieved.
Personally I don't use PERL that much at all, but I can appreciate why people like it. Quick, fast, simple to write scripts for. Why add more features that will most likely not see real use.
Also what is with the "elitez PERL" programmers writting obfuscated code on purpose? To me things like what I saw in the article are not the best way of showing off the benefits of a language. Programming languages are above asm coding for the sole reason that high level abstracts like "if" and "switch" are easy to understand and use.
Instead of
if (a > b) c = d;
lets all write:
a-b>0?c=d:0;
because that's more obfuscated and "elite". In C both will compile to the same funcitonality [assuming a,b are signed] but the former is admitedly easier to read, understand and maintain.
When I was five my parents owned a Vic-20 [loaded from tapes or cartridges].
I still don't consider that elite, although it is very nostalgic, brings me back to the days of being a little kid. I programmed quite a few "animated bird" thingies using \ and / in the vic-20 basic lang...:-)
In a corporate Linux environment you still have to pay for the staff, sysadmins, distributions [most likely Amazon bought a few copies of what ever linux.dist they have], etc..
I'm all for Linux too, but lets not use any excuse to promote it. The OS is still very premature and doesn't really compete with Windows in terms of END USER usability. Sure Linux may be a faster/stabler[?? VM problems?] OS, but it is not an easier to use OS, and in the end, for 99% of the users that is what counts.
[replying to your.sig]
I've used both kermit and x-modem. Personally I prefer Z-Modem since it can detect errors better [CRC32] and restart:-)
And stop trying to be cool because you used a computer in the 1990's. I'm 19 years old and I grew up sysop'ing two BBSes myself. I certainly don't think I'm a hackerz elitez or something because I know how to launch renegade [under DesqView no less]....
Hey its not the cost, but it is. Its not the pain in the arse to find space for a new box, but it is. Its that they turn their backs on you every chance they get.
Look at the gameboy games out right now? All 37 colours of Pokemon, but where can you go an buy original classics like Kid Icarus, or FF1? Nowhere!
You're stuck buying the shit they want you the buy when they want you do.
They basically abuse the web-o-trust that PGP came up with. The problem is the web-o-trust only works when you have physical and credible contact with the other person.
Otherwise, I could just fake being a global CA and you'd never know the difference.
Its nice to say "finally moved to disc" if you don't happen to own any other console games [N64 etc]
Now shiny 3d graphics and 100 sound FX's is nothing new, I don't know why people are jumping at the Gamecube or PS2. Computers with a 3d card have been capable of such nice feats for quite some time.
What would be cool is backwards compatibility. I mean you don't want to goto a store, buy a new shiny PC and not have it run any programs you currently own. That's just stupid. Why is it acceptable with consoles?
If Nintendo came out with a console that could play both N64 and Gamecube games that would be cool. IMHO.
You can get DVD players for linux from commercial sources no? If not than thats more reason not to use linux.
I dunno about you but I can watch DVDs on my computer just fine without breaking the DMCA.
And no, "the right to watch dvds in linux" is not a civil right in either the US or Canada. "Fair use" is a law not a right. And fairuse was not abused either.
And again, if you hate DVDs and the DMCA, don't buy DVDs, thats a right you do have.
Let's see, in two years Nintendo will come up with another game prism [what shape is next?] that will not run previous console games and cost twice as much.
Whoa dude, step away from your computer and learn how to write a thought out.
First off, yes I agree that the DMCA is a bad law. I don't think it violates your fair use rights though. Fair use basically says that you can copy portions of a copyrighted material for the purposes of humour, story telling or education.
Fair use says little to anything about copying entire works just because you want to. That's not the point of the law.
And lets not forget that this is a free world. If you don't like the policies surrounding DVDs.... DONT BUY DVDS.
Holy shit am I the only./ reader with more than 5 brain cells?
Nobody is saying you can't use the DVD content for fair use. You're still allowed cueing up a DVD to a spot for showing a class or presentation. You're still allowed pausing a DVD to show stills.
What you're not allowed todo is decrypt a DVD and use it in anything other than a DVD-ROM or DVD player.
I don't see how your fairuse rights are violated. Lets do some causality review.
1. In order to legally view the content you'd need a DVD-ROM or Player.
2. In order to show a class a picture from a DVD you need a player capable of reading DVD's.
What's the big deal? You already own a DVD player nows its a matter of putting your two brain cells together and realizing you can use it.
Heck in my schools they'd never dream of ripping pictures or parts from VHS tapes. They just cued them to where the story was.
DeCSS is not about free speech, its about ripping DVDs plain and simple. If the authors of DeCSS were so concerned with sharing the algorithms they would have written a paper about it. Not released source code and binaries to rip DVDs.
So what? I can't reverse engineer a program for the purposes of copying it.
I agree companies should be open to sharing such details but there is one problem.
Programmer X invents a patch for your bios, he releases it globally, Hacker Y picks it up and puts bad code in it on purpose, victim Z who won't inspect the code himself downloads Y's bios and thrashes his computer.
By keeping the details closer to the company its harder for victim Z to become a victim.
At anyrate, if you have a program that sucks the big one why waste time hacking at it to make it do what you want? Just delete/return it.
Slashdot Mirror
My bad sorry.
:-)
Patents evil, linux good.
I still find it ironic that the best thing linux can do is emulate windows
Free software is not just about selling software.
The reason OSS markets fail is because they try to sell distributions of software I can ftp to get.
What they should sell is training and "certification" material. e.g. its nice to download 7 cds and call it Redhat. Its another thing to know how to use all of its functionality.
Nah, I think patents on software and algorithms are a good idea. Provided the algorithms are distinct and original enough. Stupid little "patent-ups" where they pattent minor changes to ideas are a waste of time.
For example, LZW was a minor change in LZ78 and should not have gotten a patent. Now, patents on LZ77/78 would be "original" and disctinct.
How on earth did the RCA jacks get bent?
This is a joke post just to get attention.
Hey slashdot editors, I've got a bridge to sell ya.
HSW put the article on 17 different pages
:-)]
> next [more money
A DNS entry is just a line in a database. If it is found that the domain is registered in bad faith [i.e I squat your companies name and don't really provide any content on the page] why can't the DNS server owners just refuse to host the squatter?
That way the squatter can own the name, but nobody will be able to look it up properly.
You guys bitch about "oo 3ghz isn't a sign of speed" and "40 stage pipeline" crap...
But then when AMD announces they are not going to use clockrate any more you bitch about that too...
Wierd...
attempt to peddle a script language and sell a book. Geez, this is no better than Ruby, Rodel, Python, etc..
I admit PERL is neat, has many uses and generally belongs in every OS just like a fresh copy of GCC does.
But I don't see the merit in turning PERL into a huge fullfledged programming language. The intent of PERL was to expand upon shell scripts. I think to a large degree that has been achieved.
Personally I don't use PERL that much at all, but I can appreciate why people like it. Quick, fast, simple to write scripts for. Why add more features that will most likely not see real use.
Also what is with the "elitez PERL" programmers writting obfuscated code on purpose? To me things like what I saw in the article are not the best way of showing off the benefits of a language. Programming languages are above asm coding for the sole reason that high level abstracts like "if" and "switch" are easy to understand and use.
Instead of
if (a > b) c = d;
lets all write:
a-b>0?c=d:0;
because that's more obfuscated and "elite". In C both will compile to the same funcitonality [assuming a,b are signed] but the former is admitedly easier to read, understand and maintain.
Peace out,
Tom
When I was five my parents owned a Vic-20 [loaded from tapes or cartridges].
:-)
I still don't consider that elite, although it is very nostalgic, brings me back to the days of being a little kid. I programmed quite a few "animated bird" thingies using \ and / in the vic-20 basic lang...
In a corporate Linux environment you still have to pay for the staff, sysadmins, distributions [most likely Amazon bought a few copies of what ever linux.dist they have], etc..
I'm all for Linux too, but lets not use any excuse to promote it. The OS is still very premature and doesn't really compete with Windows in terms of END USER usability. Sure Linux may be a faster/stabler[?? VM problems?] OS, but it is not an easier to use OS, and in the end, for 99% of the users that is what counts.
Tom
What the fuck? Why was my previous post a flamebait? Are the /. moderators intentionally poorly rating all the posts on purpose?
How can you expect us, the readers, to give feedback on stories if all you guys do is mod down posts that are not from your buddy buddies.
[replying to your .sig]
:-)
I've used both kermit and x-modem. Personally I prefer Z-Modem since it can detect errors better [CRC32] and restart
And stop trying to be cool because you used a computer in the 1990's. I'm 19 years old and I grew up sysop'ing two BBSes myself. I certainly don't think I'm a hackerz elitez or something because I know how to launch renegade [under DesqView no less]....
/rant
I wonder what new technology they had to implement to handle .US
Seriously people they are LINES IN A DATABASE. It's not like they had to re-invent the internet.
Let's see
browser => DNS => IP => browser => WORLD.
So what? Our DNS servers should be able to handle any extension.
This shouldn't be news!
Now I will have to go out and by my new 20.1897521142866379871848676589683-threebit processor......
Tom
Hey its not the cost, but it is. Its not the pain in the arse to find space for a new box, but it is. Its that they turn their backs on you every chance they get.
Look at the gameboy games out right now? All 37 colours of Pokemon, but where can you go an buy original classics like Kid Icarus, or FF1? Nowhere!
You're stuck buying the shit they want you the buy when they want you do.
Tom
Isn't it a bit ironic that "privacy" is still required, sought after and even demanded.
How exactly does the public intend to achieve privacy [specially online] without the "taboo" crypto?
Wierd... Of course this flies with the three laws of humanity.
1. Humans are stupid.
2. Humans are hypocrits
3. Humans are vain
Only if you actually trust global CA's.
They basically abuse the web-o-trust that PGP came up with. The problem is the web-o-trust only works when you have physical and credible contact with the other person.
Otherwise, I could just fake being a global CA and you'd never know the difference.
--
Its nice to say "finally moved to disc" if you don't happen to own any other console games [N64 etc]
Now shiny 3d graphics and 100 sound FX's is nothing new, I don't know why people are jumping at the Gamecube or PS2. Computers with a 3d card have been capable of such nice feats for quite some time.
What would be cool is backwards compatibility. I mean you don't want to goto a store, buy a new shiny PC and not have it run any programs you currently own. That's just stupid. Why is it acceptable with consoles?
If Nintendo came out with a console that could play both N64 and Gamecube games that would be cool. IMHO.
Tom
You're so full of shit it hurts.
You can get DVD players for linux from commercial sources no? If not than thats more reason not to use linux.
I dunno about you but I can watch DVDs on my computer just fine without breaking the DMCA.
And no, "the right to watch dvds in linux" is not a civil right in either the US or Canada. "Fair use" is a law not a right. And fairuse was not abused either.
And again, if you hate DVDs and the DMCA, don't buy DVDs, thats a right you do have.
Let's see, in two years Nintendo will come up with another game prism [what shape is next?] that will not run previous console games and cost twice as much.
What a disappointment.
Then you're execising your right not to own a DVD or DVD player.
Ironic that you're bitching about your rights being violated....
Tom
Whoa dude, step away from your computer and learn how to write a thought out.
./ reader with more than 5 brain cells?
First off, yes I agree that the DMCA is a bad law. I don't think it violates your fair use rights though. Fair use basically says that you can copy portions of a copyrighted material for the purposes of humour, story telling or education.
Fair use says little to anything about copying entire works just because you want to. That's not the point of the law.
And lets not forget that this is a free world. If you don't like the policies surrounding DVDs.... DONT BUY DVDS.
Holy shit am I the only
Tom
Nobody is saying you can't use the DVD content for fair use. You're still allowed cueing up a DVD to a spot for showing a class or presentation. You're still allowed pausing a DVD to show stills.
What you're not allowed todo is decrypt a DVD and use it in anything other than a DVD-ROM or DVD player.
I don't see how your fairuse rights are violated. Lets do some causality review.
1. In order to legally view the content you'd need a DVD-ROM or Player.
2. In order to show a class a picture from a DVD you need a player capable of reading DVD's.
What's the big deal? You already own a DVD player nows its a matter of putting your two brain cells together and realizing you can use it.
Heck in my schools they'd never dream of ripping pictures or parts from VHS tapes. They just cued them to where the story was.
DeCSS is not about free speech, its about ripping DVDs plain and simple. If the authors of DeCSS were so concerned with sharing the algorithms they would have written a paper about it. Not released source code and binaries to rip DVDs.
Can you fast forward a dvd? Yes.
Can you pause a dvd? Yes.
Is fast forwarding and pausing more useful in dvds compared to VHS? Yes.
So what's your point? So you can rip pictures out of the dvd, big deal. Nobody said you can't fast forward and pause to the picture you want.
So what? I can't reverse engineer a program for the purposes of copying it.
I agree companies should be open to sharing such details but there is one problem.
Programmer X invents a patch for your bios, he releases it globally, Hacker Y picks it up and puts bad code in it on purpose, victim Z who won't inspect the code himself downloads Y's bios and thrashes his computer.
By keeping the details closer to the company its harder for victim Z to become a victim.
At anyrate, if you have a program that sucks the big one why waste time hacking at it to make it do what you want? Just delete/return it.
Tom