(actually, often grounded plugs aren't polarized 'cuz there's no need.)
Not true. Consider that most appliances/devices switch the hot wire. Reverse the hot and neutral going into the device and with the switch off you have the device floating at 120/240v. A shock waiting to happen.
This would seem to explain why RedHat (Commercial) has stoped distributing this mp3 decoders. This should not be an issue for decoders which are distributed freely under the GPL.
But they are not charging for the software since it is freely downloadable from their web site/mirrors. They are only charging for the packaging, media and support. Even if RH doesn't want to include mp3 support in their boxed distro for fear of legal reprisal, what's to stop them from making it available for download? (assuming Thompson's comments are sincere)
Powell rejected industry complaints that the action would force consumers to pay more for television sets, saying the price of digital tuners would drop quickly as they are mass produced.
Hmmm. Isn't that what they said about the price of CDs?
I think this touches on a key point in that ease of use is proportional to the user's familiarity with the system. Someone who has never used a computer can find the GUI just as daunting as the command line. A phenomenon I recently witnessed.
It all boils down to familiarity and ultimately to personal preference. Someone familiar with the command line will likely find it easier than navigating menus and vice-versa. A point I failed to make earlier.
It seems to me that a competent programmer (not me) could include a script that would do *all* of this for those that are too lazy to type in more than one command. Witness the sophisticate (albeit, not perfect) 'configure' script distributed with most tarballs these days. But is typing in 'command1 && command2 && command3' *really* that much more difficult than clickety-click-click - reboot?
Perhaps it's that slashdot users hate the perceived anti-competitive attitude that pervades everything Microsoft does. Not withstanding their apparent desire to improve their OS, the latest attempts at breaking interoperability with Linux do nothing to dispel that perception.
The article said something to the effect that in 10 years or so a chip will come with a billion transistor and suck up a full 1000 watts.
From the article: By 2010, scientists predict, a single chip may hold more than a billion transistors, shedding 1,000 watts of thermal energy -- far more heat per square inch than a nuclear reactor.
Power consumption and heat dissipation per unit area are two different things.
The author of a work does own the rights to the work, for a limited time as defined by copyright laws. Once the copyright expires, the work becomes part of the public domain.
In the USA, copyrights don't necessarily expire and automatically become part of the public domain. They become available for purchase by the highest bidder. (Witness Michael Jackson's purchase of the Beatles' copyrights a few years back.) Otherwise, all works for which the original copyright has expired would currently be in the public domain and there are none.
Slashdot Mirror
(actually, often grounded plugs aren't polarized 'cuz there's no need.)
Not true. Consider that most appliances/devices switch the hot wire. Reverse the hot and neutral going into the device and with the switch off you have the device floating at 120/240v. A shock waiting to happen.
This would seem to explain why RedHat (Commercial) has stoped distributing this mp3 decoders. This should not be an issue for decoders which are distributed freely under the GPL.
But they are not charging for the software since it is freely downloadable from their web site/mirrors. They are only charging for the packaging, media and support. Even if RH doesn't want to include mp3 support in their boxed distro for fear of legal reprisal, what's to stop them from making it available for download? (assuming Thompson's comments are sincere)
Powell rejected industry complaints that the action would force consumers to pay more for television sets, saying the price of digital tuners would drop quickly as they are mass produced.
Hmmm. Isn't that what they said about the price of CDs?
I think this touches on a key point in that ease of use is proportional to the user's familiarity with the system. Someone who has never used a computer can find the GUI just as daunting as the command line. A phenomenon I recently witnessed.
It all boils down to familiarity and ultimately to personal preference. Someone familiar with the command line will likely find it easier than navigating menus and vice-versa. A point I failed to make earlier.
It seems to me that a competent programmer (not me) could include a script that would do *all* of this for those that are too lazy to type in more than one command. Witness the sophisticate (albeit, not perfect) 'configure' script distributed with most tarballs these days. But is typing in 'command1 && command2 && command3' *really* that much more difficult than clickety-click-click - reboot?
Capitalism != anti-competitive.
also
Competitive marketplace != socialism.
Perhaps it's that slashdot users hate the perceived anti-competitive attitude that pervades everything Microsoft does. Not withstanding their apparent desire to improve their OS, the latest attempts at breaking interoperability with Linux do nothing to dispel that perception.
The article said something to the effect that in 10 years or so a chip will come with a billion transistor and suck up a full 1000 watts.
From the article: By 2010, scientists predict, a single chip may hold more than a billion transistors, shedding 1,000 watts of thermal energy -- far more heat per square inch than a nuclear reactor.
Power consumption and heat dissipation per unit area are two different things.
Perhaps it's because you can't list it as a business expense and deduct it from your taxes if it's free.
The author of a work does own the rights to the work, for a limited time as defined by copyright laws. Once the copyright expires, the work becomes part of the public domain.
In the USA, copyrights don't necessarily expire and automatically become part of the public domain. They become available for purchase by the highest bidder. (Witness Michael Jackson's purchase of the Beatles' copyrights a few years back.) Otherwise, all works for which the original copyright has expired would currently be in the public domain and there are none.
First Amendment only disallows the GOVERNMENT from restricting your right to free speech.
Wouldn't the courts upholding of a EULA be tantamount to the government restricting our free speech, at least indirectly?