Ok so this isn't the spirit of the GPL. I am fine with it though because despite their best efforts to obfuscate it can be modified back to readable very easily. If their code is worthwhile having for the general community it will get cleaned up and OSS will have a little bit more than they had before. Let 'em try.
What could they possibly be working on that capable programmers couldn't write themselves? I don't think that this companies attempted theft is really that well thought through.
I'm not sure how many others saw this today but I believe that one of the/. editors had a little test of the new ads today. I clicked on the Xft Hack Improves Antialiased Font Rendering story and just below the story (but before the first comment) was an ad. It was about 200 x 200 pixels and I think off the top of my head it was an IBM ad.
This was much less intrusive than the awful pop-ups I envisioned when I read about the subsription service. As of the time of this posting the ad is no longer there.
This looks good. They have clearly thought and researched the functionality well. Silent vibrate alert and long battery life are the kind of useability features that I associate with more mature products, and not a "first official model".
I will add the Garmin RINO to my list of iPod, mobile phone, pager, PDA, car keys, smokes, and wallet, that I have to remember when I leave my cube. Can anyone spare a pocket?
An isos suffers from a familiar catch-22 that slows the adoption of many new technologies: Until a wide user base exists, only a limited set of applications will be feasible on the ISOS. Conversely, as long as the applications are few, the user base will remain small. But if a critical mass can be achieved by convincing enough developers and users of the intrinsic usefulness of an ISOS, the system should grow rapidly.
This quote sounds like it came straight out of an article about linux. The only differance being that linux is not restricted to the limited set of applications it is capable of running.
If linux is struggling (up to this point) to get mass acceptance and use, I can't see an ISOS getting off the ground for a long time yet or ever.
All of those visualizations seem like every other visual representation of the internet.
This doesn't look any more interesting just because it's Gnutella.
Two transition periods?
on
If I Had a Hammer
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
So it will be a few years until we all have 64-bit PC's with applications written for them. I don't understand why the development work wasn't put into 128-bit processors in the first place. Wouldn't this avoid the next transition period when most applications are written for 64-bit machines?
The paradox here is that once people loose respect for a site, won't they be less willing to pay for it?
This statement interested me. In my opinion Google is both the most respected search engine and web site on the net (sorry/.). If Google started charging tomorrow, suppose it's $5 a month, would I lose respect for them and would I pay for it?
The answer is that no I wouldn't loose respect because I respect their product. Yes I would pay for it because their content is valuable to me.
God forbid this ever happens but it's worth considering. If you are offering value for money you won't loose respect from your users. If your content is worth $0.00 then thats the maximum you can charge.
The Scoop
on
Biohackathon
·
· Score: -1, Redundant
The Scoop is dying fast. Hear is the soop.
Computer buffs chase a common language
Open-source software is ideal for managing human genome information, but research units are not working together
Science and Education Correspondent
ONE whiteboard, 20 hackers and the mysteries of the human genome are the base ingredients for the world's first ever biohackathon, now under way in Cape Town.
It brings together the world's top bioinformatics programmers one woman and a group of young men (their average age is 26) who make the powerful software that allows scientists to manage the massive amounts of data that accompany research into the human genome.
Unlike traditional licensed software, open-source software is usually free. But more importantly, it comes complete with its programming code, enabling the user to customise the programmes or remove bugs.
It can be developed much faster than licensed software and is particularly well suited to the fast pace of developments in the life sciences, including research into the human genome.
Around the world, different research groups have given rise to their own programming communities, operating in different "open source" programming languages such as Java, Perl and Python.
The big problem facing the bioinformatics community is that because they have worked out their own solutions for their own projects, their programmes do not necessarily "talk" to each other, says Tania Broveak Hide, MD of local firm Electric Genetics.
And that is why she has gone into partnership with US publisher O'Reilly & Associates, and brought the open-source bioinformatics community together for the first time to "crack code".
They call themselves hackers, but there is nothing underhand or illegal in what they do. They just have a few things in common with hackers their youth, a passion for computers, and since most of them are students, they tend to punch out their programmes long after midnight.
The group first met in Tucson, Arizona, two weeks ago, and are now in Cape Town for the second part of their ambitious project.
They sit classroom fashion in front of their laptops, with their tasks laid out on the whiteboard.
There is no leader and tasks are identified and allocated by consensus.
You might expect egos to collide in such an anarchic set up, but it is quite the opposite, director of the Open Bioinformatics Foundation in the US, Chris Dagdigian says. "It's quite simple. Whoever writes the code wins the argument."
Some hackers are working on the "libraries" of programmes that enable people to build their own applications, hoping to make the different pieces compatible, even though they are written in different programming languages.
The hackers also hope to make data exchange more efficient and improve the visualisation tools used to look at genome sequences.
"At the moment, genome data is posted at centres all over the world, rather like houses that are managed by different estate agents. We want to create a system that will enable you to make a single query and search for data from all over the world."
Since the mapping of the human genome two years ago, scientists have a pretty good idea of the sequence of genetic material, or DNA, it contains says Broveak Hide.
Scientists know that the sequence of DNA spells out the exact instructions for the creation and destruction of each and every cell in our bodies. In other words, the human genome is the road map for our genes the units that determine what we look like and, when they go wrong, which diseases we will succumb to.
Although scientist have identified genes associated with more than 30 disorders, their understanding is limited, says Ewan Birney of the European Bioinformatics Institute. Trying to understand which bits of the human genome do what is a bit like trying to translate Russian with an incomplete phrase book.
Since understanding the mechanisms of disease offers hope of prevention and cure, the human genome is the subject of intense research worldwide, particularly by the big pharmaceutical companies.
"The amount of data on the human genome in the public domain has grown exponentially in the past few years. Managing that data is probably the single biggest challenge facing computational biology today, "says Dagdigian,
"As the body of knowledge expands, scientists can increasingly do experiments on computers instead of in laboratories, giving them tremendous efficiency gains," says Birney.
"Competitive advantage comes from what you do with these programming tools, not the complex algorithms within the tools themselves," explains Dagdigian.
As a result open source programmers traditionally share information, he says, a philosophy that marries well with the way science has worked for centuries.
"If you publish your research in peer review journals, you have to tell the scientific community the steps you took to get your results. That concept of sharing materials and methods fits with the open source bioinformatics approach," says Dagdigian.
With its hope of delivering new and freely available software to the scientific community by the end of this week, the biohackathon might sound like a socialist's dream.
But do not be misled, says Birney. Just as an athlete's stamina, not her shoes, will help her win a marathon, this software is merely the enabling tool for scientists and pharmaceutical companies in their high-risk, high-return race to find drugs and vaccines.
It is up to them what they do with it.
Feb 26 2002 12:00:00:000AM Tamar Kahn Business Day 1st Edition
Apart from being fastinating and a sign that further evolved life forms may exist, are there any potential advantages for finding extraterestrial bacteria?
I just hope that if Slashdot does introduce a pay-for-no-ads subscription that they don't start placing more ads on the free page to make the paid option look better.
I wonder if the subsciption option would be for all of OSDN or just Slashdot, and if it would include extras apart from no ads.
The original poster is complaining about silly decisions higher up the line of command, not about pay. If he wants to make the rules he must become management or have his own business (also management).
I've worked for the government (NASA), large public companies, and small startups as a software engineer. They all have something in common. It seems like management at this company is just winging it.
The common element in his previous jobs? Him.
He seems convinced he has the answers so why souldn't he push for management. If he enjoys coding then he can't have both. Life's tough.
Managers should be paid more than skilled workers for one simple reason - the cash must come in the door faster than it goes out. A well managed business with bad code has more of a chance than a bad business with good code.
This just sounds like "I'm smarter than my boss syndrome". Your management has other tasks to take care of than just what you are doing everyday. He is looking at the bigger picture and taking into account more than just what will be easiest for you.
Work your way up to management and you too can spend your days on the golf course.
This article from CNN reports the same thing. However, in this article The National Sleep Foundation suggests that the study may be flawed, and will do nothing but cause the public unnecessary confusion and concern.
If Apple can extend that trust to Intel hardware, then Microsoft is in real trouble. Because the only way Microsoft can compete on those terms is by growing a soul.
I really don't like seeing this kind Microsoft bashing at the end of the article. Why? It reflects badly on the other arguments when you resort to name calling in your conclusion.
Slashdot Mirror
I gave this book to Bill for Christmas. I'm not convinced he read it though.
If they arn't going to activly try and sell the product, how is this a better deal than taking the less appealing offer?
What could they possibly be working on that capable programmers couldn't write themselves? I don't think that this companies attempted theft is really that well thought through.
This was much less intrusive than the awful pop-ups I envisioned when I read about the subsription service. As of the time of this posting the ad is no longer there.
The video deposition is now available from CNET. This version is a much better quality for broadband users.
I will add the Garmin RINO to my list of iPod, mobile phone, pager, PDA, car keys, smokes, and wallet, that I have to remember when I leave my cube. Can anyone spare a pocket?
This quote sounds like it came straight out of an article about linux. The only differance being that linux is not restricted to the limited set of applications it is capable of running.
If linux is struggling (up to this point) to get mass acceptance and use, I can't see an ISOS getting off the ground for a long time yet or ever.
This doesn't look any more interesting just because it's Gnutella.
Maybe I'm over simplifying it.
This statement interested me. In my opinion Google is both the most respected search engine and web site on the net (sorry /.). If Google started charging tomorrow, suppose it's $5 a month, would I lose respect for them and would I pay for it?
The answer is that no I wouldn't loose respect because I respect their product. Yes I would pay for it because their content is valuable to me.
God forbid this ever happens but it's worth considering. If you are offering value for money you won't loose respect from your users. If your content is worth $0.00 then thats the maximum you can charge.
The Scoop is dying fast. Hear is the soop. Computer buffs chase a common language Open-source software is ideal for managing human genome information, but research units are not working together Science and Education Correspondent ONE whiteboard, 20 hackers and the mysteries of the human genome are the base ingredients for the world's first ever biohackathon, now under way in Cape Town. It brings together the world's top bioinformatics programmers one woman and a group of young men (their average age is 26) who make the powerful software that allows scientists to manage the massive amounts of data that accompany research into the human genome. Unlike traditional licensed software, open-source software is usually free. But more importantly, it comes complete with its programming code, enabling the user to customise the programmes or remove bugs. It can be developed much faster than licensed software and is particularly well suited to the fast pace of developments in the life sciences, including research into the human genome. Around the world, different research groups have given rise to their own programming communities, operating in different "open source" programming languages such as Java, Perl and Python. The big problem facing the bioinformatics community is that because they have worked out their own solutions for their own projects, their programmes do not necessarily "talk" to each other, says Tania Broveak Hide, MD of local firm Electric Genetics. And that is why she has gone into partnership with US publisher O'Reilly & Associates, and brought the open-source bioinformatics community together for the first time to "crack code". They call themselves hackers, but there is nothing underhand or illegal in what they do. They just have a few things in common with hackers their youth, a passion for computers, and since most of them are students, they tend to punch out their programmes long after midnight. The group first met in Tucson, Arizona, two weeks ago, and are now in Cape Town for the second part of their ambitious project. They sit classroom fashion in front of their laptops, with their tasks laid out on the whiteboard. There is no leader and tasks are identified and allocated by consensus. You might expect egos to collide in such an anarchic set up, but it is quite the opposite, director of the Open Bioinformatics Foundation in the US, Chris Dagdigian says. "It's quite simple. Whoever writes the code wins the argument." Some hackers are working on the "libraries" of programmes that enable people to build their own applications, hoping to make the different pieces compatible, even though they are written in different programming languages. The hackers also hope to make data exchange more efficient and improve the visualisation tools used to look at genome sequences. "At the moment, genome data is posted at centres all over the world, rather like houses that are managed by different estate agents. We want to create a system that will enable you to make a single query and search for data from all over the world." Since the mapping of the human genome two years ago, scientists have a pretty good idea of the sequence of genetic material, or DNA, it contains says Broveak Hide. Scientists know that the sequence of DNA spells out the exact instructions for the creation and destruction of each and every cell in our bodies. In other words, the human genome is the road map for our genes the units that determine what we look like and, when they go wrong, which diseases we will succumb to. Although scientist have identified genes associated with more than 30 disorders, their understanding is limited, says Ewan Birney of the European Bioinformatics Institute. Trying to understand which bits of the human genome do what is a bit like trying to translate Russian with an incomplete phrase book. Since understanding the mechanisms of disease offers hope of prevention and cure, the human genome is the subject of intense research worldwide, particularly by the big pharmaceutical companies. "The amount of data on the human genome in the public domain has grown exponentially in the past few years. Managing that data is probably the single biggest challenge facing computational biology today, "says Dagdigian, "As the body of knowledge expands, scientists can increasingly do experiments on computers instead of in laboratories, giving them tremendous efficiency gains," says Birney. "Competitive advantage comes from what you do with these programming tools, not the complex algorithms within the tools themselves," explains Dagdigian. As a result open source programmers traditionally share information, he says, a philosophy that marries well with the way science has worked for centuries. "If you publish your research in peer review journals, you have to tell the scientific community the steps you took to get your results. That concept of sharing materials and methods fits with the open source bioinformatics approach," says Dagdigian. With its hope of delivering new and freely available software to the scientific community by the end of this week, the biohackathon might sound like a socialist's dream. But do not be misled, says Birney. Just as an athlete's stamina, not her shoes, will help her win a marathon, this software is merely the enabling tool for scientists and pharmaceutical companies in their high-risk, high-return race to find drugs and vaccines. It is up to them what they do with it. Feb 26 2002 12:00:00:000AM Tamar Kahn Business Day 1st Edition
I wish I could get Slashdot to launch all of my web sites.
It was a bit tedious flicking through all those slides but the final one did bring a smile to my face.
No release date yet unfortunately except that it will be available in the first half of this year.
The New York Times is also covering the article (free reg) or you could just go to The Audio Spotlight's home page for a more detailed account of their technology.
Apart from being fastinating and a sign that further evolved life forms may exist, are there any potential advantages for finding extraterestrial bacteria?
I wonder if the subsciption option would be for all of OSDN or just Slashdot, and if it would include extras apart from no ads.
Eradicating tsetse from the Southern Rift Valley of Ethiopia from the International Atomic Energy Agency is more informative than the stories links. It also gives you a few photos of the areas they will be released in.
I've worked for the government (NASA), large public companies, and small startups as a software engineer. They all have something in common. It seems like management at this company is just winging it.
The common element in his previous jobs? Him.
He seems convinced he has the answers so why souldn't he push for management. If he enjoys coding then he can't have both. Life's tough. Managers should be paid more than skilled workers for one simple reason - the cash must come in the door faster than it goes out. A well managed business with bad code has more of a chance than a bad business with good code.
Work your way up to management and you too can spend your days on the golf course.
According to this article the maximum range of the i-series industrial Segway is 17 miles on a single charge.
Hope the wind doesn't pick up too much.
This article from CNN reports the same thing. However, in this article The National Sleep Foundation suggests that the study may be flawed, and will do nothing but cause the public unnecessary confusion and concern.
I really don't like seeing this kind Microsoft bashing at the end of the article. Why? It reflects badly on the other arguments when you resort to name calling in your conclusion.
For more information on the structure try Relation Nets and Hypernets in pdf form.