Text in electronic form has never been easy to read on a computer screen. I spend most of my time in front of my computer and you will still not catch me reading a book on it! Software like e-book still does not make it easy. Is there any info on an open source reader with simple/useful features like autoscrolling, light text on dark background, margin notes etc?
Maybe even a napster like side that lets you maintain your own library and download new books.
Perhaps even an emacs plugin will do...
I am sure this would make a nice complement to Project G and make online text more popular. Also, it would make publicising the whole thing easier.
I am so glad I got that account last week! With the slashdot crowd heading there the two business day rule may change!
Here are my experiences to date:
To those that expect to install something on their computers: There is nothing to install, they use the java version of vnc and the desktop is presented in your browser. In reality, the entire desktop is like a remote screenshot and looks EXACTLY like a debian KDE typical desktop. They let you customize it but I haven't got that far yet! If not for anything else, use this for shock value on a doze machine and have a debian desktop inside an IE window!
They are true to their word on the two business day waiting period.
Since th VNC client is GPLed, you can actually download their changes from workspot.org; this is my next weekend project...
I don't know how this works through firewalls, but if it does, geeks in doze offices all over the world have just been liberated!
The site is neat but has very very little tech info. There is a faq which adds little value and repeated searches on Google don't lead to any other pages about this service, so it looks like a well kept secret... till now!
On a side note, there was a previous article here about wireless ebay on a palm VII using debian and workspot. I never really understood that one and since I haven't figured out how to list archived article comments by score all I can tell is that the trolls haven't changed much! I think it talks about workspot using debian to provide wireless access to ebay on palm vII!!!
The other cool thing about this service: If you have a license or the software is free and does not require root, you can install it! Can't wait to get the emacs JDE from installed and running so that I can use this site for (*new buzzword alert*) 'remote coding'.
If this site is really for linux newbies to try it out, more info 'bout how to get started would definetely help...currently the site only lets you escape the hassle of installing linux ( not that much of a hassle anyway ) but does not serve as an intro to linux.
Whats with the bannerless CGI enabled apparently limitless web space (faq says don't use _too_ much diskspace, open to interpretation...)? These people seem to have all the goodies on one site.
I tried to ftp out of the box to move my website in but sadly nothing happened! I realized how helpless I was without having the box at my feet: there was none of that reassuring hum from the drive as you clicked on something and waited. How about a flashing [processing command sire]...? Now that would have geek value!
Where is the info on SGI selling refurbished panels? Found a whole bunch of refurbished stuff but no panels!! Can you post a url? Are these compatible with regular digital out cards? Do we have linux drivers?
before we get into that: that is one looong and we-are-trying-very-hard-to-be-funny-and-sarcastic review.
yeah: the science was not rock solid but: It's is movie! I expect it to have its stupid moments, and it is interesting to think that life originated on a different planet. I think it is an interesting concept; and there were people who said 2001 was boring;the only people I saw dissappointed at this movie were those who came in to see armageddon-style blow everything in sight action. Its a movie, it has artistic license; do not expect to apply today's science to a science fiction movie and come out a winner.
yeah: there was a ton of product placement but: lets face it; this does look like an untapped advertising source. Take the Bond movies, look at ANY sporting event and see brand names splashed on every piece of plastic, cloth, canvas, metal, wood etc. Its a form of advertising just like the banner add at the top of this page. Would you prefer TV with no commercials and product placements instead? Think about it.
The movie has a cool concept. It is not the best movie I've seen, but it definitely does not deserve such scathing reviews! Sounds like phbs criticizing Matrix because it was about hackers.
This would also make a great subscription box in cases where you do not need a keyboard. Just plunk the lcd on the kitchen counter with a trackball and write a script where it will dial up my isp and refresh slashdot every ten minutes or so! Or keep it next to the tv for quick headline updates on the hour.. no keyboard required! Or just keep it in a corner and run x-dali clock on it to complete the shaggy pad look. Or make it a stockticker on your desk!
iopener $99 get me away from my computer $priceless
wow! This is the first time I have been able to read a story before the site got slashdotted! Most people argue this is useless and has not practical application, so what? Its fun, easy and costs $99! If not anything else, it is a cool weekend project. Now, if only somebody could post info on 2.5inch hard drives and switching ide cables, this is something I would do today!
if not anything else, this would make a nice way for sharing one internet connection don't have much money left after my 850 athlon order and when it gets here my roommate can have her own x-terminal and stop bugging me.
x term $99 freedom from roomie $priceless.
what are the chances of using a usb cable for this?
"what kind of a rescue mission is this?!!" - Mission to Mars
It is great that the software has been GPLed, but that only means that me, john doe linux enthusiast, who can rebuild his machine every day for fun can try it out and play with it. GPL software inherently comes without any guarantees. IBM figured that anybody in the business world choosing between two distribs - one with the GPL filesystem and no warranty/support and another from IBM of the exact same software + implicit warranty would buy the IBM product.
Business entities have little incentive to use GPL products while there inhouse IT staff are not linux experts (and this is generally the case). Also, IT system maintenance folks in NT environments "like to get on the phone with the vendor" for most problems and are generally not code-oriented people.
This would be a good time for somebody to post the email addresses for clueless reporters in the print media and zd net. We could all write in about what a great achievement this is and how it could crush windows 2000.
I would laugh my guts out if this showed up on the seven o'clock news right after "don't open email from strangers 'coz you might be vapourized". Something like this happened a couple of months ago about AOL....
It doesn't matter if you don't like the guy or you think he is a fraud or you just plain don't like guys whose name starts with 'U'! The pokemon craze is all over the place and there are millions of dollars invested and millions more to be made. If they wanted to use his likeness, they should have asked his permission period.
Why do you think everyone of those millions stupid sweepstakes letters makes you think you have won but still has the legal wording so that they can use your likeness?? The operative word is likeness: it doesn't have to be a picture or an accurate description, if people can identify me from it, it is my likeness. Of course, if you go ahead and name it after me, there is no grey area left!
I don't particularly care about the guy or pokemon, but do you want to be mobbed by a bunch of people and find out there are a zillion copies of your likeness out there that you never new about??
There are some exceptions here for celebrities etc in the law which allows us to criticize polititians indiscriminately (watch jay leno), but I don't think that kicks in here as they are commercially exploiting his likeness.
On the other hand, if the pokemon could bend stuff and was called "Bender-mon", could the people down at futurama sue them??
Does anybody know if they also try to collect antimatter on their other missions? If matter and anti-matter cannot co-exist (charged protons don't count, anti-helium would not carry a charge) one would think they would have a better chance of finding decent antimatter in deeper space not crowded with matter. Something like putting a cowcatcher on the front of one of their rockets should bring up more interesting stuff than a huge balloon...(so to speak)
Not necessarily off topic if the topic is MS!! It seems that MS is trying to buy as much time as it can. It may even be going light on all the retailers and IBM etc who are now supporting linux not because it is afraid of looking more like a monopoly, but rather because the longer they can delay the ruling and the case itself, the more likely it is that linux/be/bsd will be a true competitor and the basis of the case 'MS is a monopoly' can become an debatable reality. If this happens by the time the case is completed, MS may be hit with a whole bunch of fines (which they can afford to pay) but not suffer anything disastrous like splitting up the company. Maybe they are willing to have a competitor in the short run so that they can succeed in the long run. Lets face it folks... linux is a geek OS and it is going to be years and years before a newbie can be productive on it from day 1. MS isn't going to lose much market share in the early stages because linux appeals to a niche. Why would IBM and Intel support linux anyway??? So that Microsoft looks less like a monopoly by the time the case is done?? Are there any articles published on this?
Every issue, time magazine runs an interesting little tech snippet at the very end. In the latest issue, there is an article about linux that seems pretty OK. The author talks about waiting for gnome to be released before deciding to try linux (KDE duh!). There is also an email address at the end. Could someone post it so that we can help the guy out with his linux install/search for linux apps? It is a multi part article and who knows.. he might say something about slashdot in time!
Slashdot Mirror
go oog go...
what we need now is an OOGAL...
Text in electronic form has never been easy to read on a computer screen. I spend most of my time in front of my computer and you will still not catch me reading a book on it! Software like e-book still does not make it easy. Is there any info on an open source reader with simple/useful features like autoscrolling, light text on dark background, margin notes etc?
Maybe even a napster like side that lets you maintain your own library and download new books.
Perhaps even an emacs plugin will do...
I am sure this would make a nice complement to Project G and make online text more popular. Also, it would make publicising the whole thing easier.
have they been /.ed already?? Has anybody been able to create an account here?
I am so glad I got that account last week! With the slashdot crowd heading there the two business day rule may change!
Here are my experiences to date:
To those that expect to install something on their computers: There is nothing to install, they use the java version of vnc and the desktop is presented in your browser. In reality, the entire desktop is like a remote screenshot and looks EXACTLY like a debian KDE typical desktop. They let you customize it but I haven't got that far yet! If not for anything else, use this for shock value on a doze machine and have a debian desktop inside an IE window!
They are true to their word on the two business day waiting period.
Since th VNC client is GPLed, you can actually download their changes from workspot.org; this is my next weekend project...
I don't know how this works through firewalls, but if it does, geeks in doze offices all over the world have just been liberated!
The site is neat but has very very little tech info. There is a faq which adds little value and repeated searches on Google don't lead to any other pages about this service, so it looks like a well kept secret... till now!
On a side note, there was a previous article here about wireless ebay on a palm VII using debian and workspot. I never really understood that one and since I haven't figured out how to list archived article comments by score all I can tell is that the trolls haven't changed much! I think it talks about workspot using debian to provide wireless access to ebay on palm vII!!!
The other cool thing about this service: If you have a license or the software is free and does not require root, you can install it! Can't wait to get the emacs JDE from installed and running so that I can use this site for (*new buzzword alert*) 'remote coding'.
If this site is really for linux newbies to try it out, more info 'bout how to get started would definetely help...currently the site only lets you escape the hassle of installing linux ( not that much of a hassle anyway ) but does not serve as an intro to linux.
Whats with the bannerless CGI enabled apparently limitless web space (faq says don't use _too_ much diskspace, open to interpretation...)? These people seem to have all the goodies on one site.
I tried to ftp out of the box to move my website in but sadly nothing happened! I realized how helpless I was without having the box at my feet: there was none of that reassuring hum from the drive as you clicked on something and waited. How about a flashing [processing command sire]...? Now that would have geek value!
Where is the info on SGI selling refurbished panels? Found a whole bunch of refurbished stuff but no panels!! Can you post a url? Are these compatible with regular digital out cards? Do we have linux drivers?
before we get into that:
that is one looong and we-are-trying-very-hard-to-be-funny-and-sarcastic review.
yeah: the science was not rock solid
but: It's is movie! I expect it to have its stupid moments, and it is interesting to think that life originated on a different planet. I think it is an interesting concept; and there were people who said 2001 was boring;the only people I saw dissappointed at this movie were those who came in to see armageddon-style blow everything in sight action. Its a movie, it has artistic license; do not expect to apply today's science to a science fiction movie and come out a winner.
yeah: there was a ton of product placement
but: lets face it; this does look like an untapped advertising source. Take the Bond movies, look at ANY sporting event and see brand names splashed on every piece of plastic, cloth, canvas, metal, wood etc. Its a form of advertising just like the banner add at the top of this page. Would you prefer TV with no commercials and product placements instead? Think about it.
The movie has a cool concept. It is not the best movie I've seen, but it definitely does not deserve such scathing reviews! Sounds like phbs criticizing Matrix because it was about hackers.
This would also make a great subscription box in cases where you do not need a keyboard. Just plunk the lcd on the kitchen counter with a trackball and write a script where it will dial up my isp and refresh slashdot every ten minutes or so! Or keep it next to the tv for quick headline updates on the hour.. no keyboard required!
Or just keep it in a corner and run x-dali clock on it to complete the shaggy pad look. Or make it a stockticker on your desk!
iopener $99
get me away from my computer $priceless
wow! This is the first time I have been able to read a story before the site got slashdotted! Most people argue this is useless and has not practical application, so what? Its fun, easy and costs $99! If not anything else, it is a cool weekend project. Now, if only somebody could post info on 2.5inch hard drives and switching ide cables, this is something I would do today!
if not anything else, this would make a nice way for sharing one internet connection don't have much money left after my 850 athlon order and when it gets here my roommate can have her own x-terminal and stop bugging me.
x term $99
freedom from roomie $priceless.
what are the chances of using a usb cable for this?
"what kind of a rescue mission is this?!!"
- Mission to Mars
It is great that the software has been GPLed, but that only means that me, john doe linux enthusiast, who can rebuild his machine every day for fun can try it out and play with it. GPL software inherently comes without any guarantees. IBM figured that anybody in the business world choosing between two distribs - one with the GPL filesystem and no warranty/support and another from IBM of the exact same software + implicit warranty would buy the IBM product.
Business entities have little incentive to use GPL products while there inhouse IT staff are not linux experts (and this is generally the case). Also, IT system maintenance folks in NT environments "like to get on the phone with the vendor" for most problems and are generally not code-oriented people.
Can your sysadmin code?
This would be a good time for somebody to post the email addresses for clueless reporters in the print media and zd net. We could all write in about what a great achievement this is and how it could crush windows 2000.
....
I would laugh my guts out if this showed up on the seven o'clock news right after "don't open email from strangers 'coz you might be vapourized". Something like this happened a couple of months ago about AOL
It doesn't matter if you don't like the guy or you think he is a fraud or you just plain don't like guys whose name starts with 'U'! The pokemon craze is all over the place and there are millions of dollars invested and millions more to be made. If they wanted to use his likeness, they should have asked his permission period.
Why do you think everyone of those millions stupid sweepstakes letters makes you think you have won but still has the legal wording so that they can use your likeness?? The operative word is likeness: it doesn't have to be a picture or an accurate description, if people can identify me from it, it is my likeness. Of course, if you go ahead and name it after me, there is no grey area left!
I don't particularly care about the guy or pokemon, but do you want to be mobbed by a bunch of people and find out there are a zillion copies of your likeness out there that you never new about??
There are some exceptions here for celebrities etc in the law which allows us to criticize polititians indiscriminately (watch jay leno), but I don't think that kicks in here as they are commercially exploiting his likeness.
On the other hand, if the pokemon could bend stuff and was called "Bender-mon", could the people down at futurama sue them??
Conclusion: futurama rox.
saw this movie; it is hilarious! Makes you think about the old shows. Esp. the part where the countdown does not stop till it reaches 1!
while were on the topic of scifi, anybody know what happened to futurama? looks like fox is going to replace it next season. that was a nice show...
Does anybody know if they also try to collect antimatter on their other missions? If matter and anti-matter cannot co-exist (charged protons don't count, anti-helium would not carry a charge) one would think they would have a better chance of finding decent antimatter in deeper space not crowded with matter. Something like putting a cowcatcher on the front of one of their rockets should bring up more interesting stuff than a huge balloon...(so to speak)
Not necessarily off topic if the topic is MS!! It seems that MS is trying to buy as much time as it can. It may even be going light on all the retailers and IBM etc who are now supporting linux not because it is afraid of looking more like a monopoly, but rather because the longer they can delay the ruling and the case itself, the more likely it is that linux/be/bsd will be a true competitor and the basis of the case 'MS is a monopoly' can become an debatable reality. If this happens by the time the case is completed, MS may be hit with a whole bunch of fines (which they can afford to pay) but not suffer anything disastrous like splitting up the company. Maybe they are willing to have a competitor in the short run so that they can succeed in the long run. Lets face it folks... linux is a geek OS and it is going to be years and years before a newbie can be productive on it from day 1. MS isn't going to lose much market share in the early stages because linux appeals to a niche. Why would IBM and Intel support linux anyway??? So that Microsoft looks less like a monopoly by the time the case is done?? Are there any articles published on this?
Every issue, time magazine runs an interesting little tech snippet at the very end. In the latest issue, there is an article about linux that seems pretty OK. The author talks about waiting for gnome to be released before deciding to try linux (KDE duh!). There is also an email address at the end. Could someone post it so that we can help the guy out with his linux install/search for linux apps? It is a multi part article and who knows.. he might say something about slashdot in time!