I have been waiting long for this, and I'm glad it didn't turn out the other way round.
Those who were involved in the outcry would recall the proposal for RAND [non-free] standards was done in a rather suspicious manner. There was no announcement on the W3C's front page [I visit it regularly] but a proposal for RAND was quietly drafted, a ludicrously short deadline for feedback set and a mailing list for the same created. Why, then, is it suprising that only thirteen posts were recorded until a week before the initial deadline, ten of them spam?
Then the story broke [on The Register, IIRC] and the mails flooded in. And what a flood it was *smiles* - 755 in Sept and 1686 in Oct. My mailbox was getting a good beating.
Many voiced their opinions strongly, and with an exception or two [one of which was obvious astroturfing], they were all soundly against the inclusion of non-free patents in W3C standards [check out the archives and spot the famous names]. Under this tremendous pressure, the W3C had little alternative but to extend the deadline. I am sure certain * ahem *special interest groups were disappointed - but hey, it's for the best. Really.
And now we have this. Brilliant. Common sense and justice have won this round.
Special thanks to Bruce Perens, Daniel Phillips, Adam Warner and Gervase Markham for their dedication to this cause.
if you're reading this, please let it be known that I hold you in the highest esteem for setting off events that exposed the veiled side of the receording industry.
And that, my dear friends, is what will decide its success. Ever-increasing workloads and unreasonable expectations of "productivity" from cost-cutting employers mean there's a good chance the above statement will come true, even if the rest [of the vision] doesn't.
A key aspect of GPG's success is to increase its adoption by users of Windows. For those of you wishing to give GPG a whirl, I suggest you get WinPT, an easy-to-use, open-source frontend.
Now, get the incremental WinPT update [v. 0.7.91, 200 KB]. It's a developmental version but contains fewer bugs than 0.5.5 and is quite stable. Unzip its contents into the WinPT install directory.
Head over to the GPG mirrors page, choose your nearest location, then navigate to/pub/gnupg/binary/ and download gnupg-w32cli-1.2.0.zip [1068 KB]. Unzip its contents into the WinPT install directory.
If you use Outlook Express, you would definitely want to get GPGOE, a GPG plugin that seamlessly integrates with Outlook. You need to install and configure GPG for this - the easiest way is to install WinPT as described above [WinPT also makes key management very easy, so there's a bonus]. Then you can download and install GPGOE, and enjoy all the goodness of integrated GPG functionality within OE.
Play around with the different options available; make a key for fun; experiment and learn. Spread the word. But most of all, have fun and be excellent to each other;-)
Let me assure all PGP users that all versions of PGP produced by NAI, and PGP Security, a division of NAI, up to and including the current (January 2001) release, PGP 7.0.3, are free of back doors.
Could be true of 7.0.3. Shortly afterwards, two major security flaws [multiple user ID vulnerability and DLL vulnerability] were discovered, and hotfixes quickly issued.
AFAIK, the patches' source is closed and un-vetted by Zimmermann or anyone outside NAI.
Applying them silently upgrades PGP 7.0.3 to 7.0.4. It doesn't show up on the "About" window. Instead, sign or encrypt a text block and note the ID string.
So does his statement of trust still apply? I don't think so.
>... I chose to go with AT&T Broadband cable (which, sadly, is now in part owned by MS).
This suggests a disturbing, but predictable, trend . Microsoft gradually acquires the infrastructure of the internet, bit by bit, provide disincentives for leaving their service, while OTOH incentives are granted for joining them [at least in the beginning].
Then when they've gained sufficient mass, they introduce their own proprietary protocol [complete with integrated DRM]. Compatibility with TCP/IP will exist for awhile - until the remaining networks around the world are assimilated, or made illegal.
This could turn out to be a good thing for Linux. Why? AOL can infuse their vast resources of capital into the one thing Linux sorely lacks, namely a decent set of true-type fonts.
X11R6's default font set is so atrocious it's no surprise it repels PC users weaned on Windows' splendid set of TT fonts. Fund the development of a LGPL'd set of core fonts [similar to Microsoft's Core Web Fonts] and you have cleared one of the biggest obstacles in the way of Linux's widespread adoption.
I'm sure the zealots wouldn't mind this too much either:-)
as I was planning to write up a moderation HOWTO as I woke up this morning, so lousy has been the moderators' performance in the past few weeks.
I always browse at -1, Nested and find a wealth of stuff hidden in the trenches. Every now and then I see some brilliant posts suspiciously modded down. Why?
Because Slashdot's current moderation system has revealed itself to be unworthy and broken. Because Slashdot needs a Kuro5hin-style moderation system.
As for the trolls - you all are doing a great job. Yes, that also goes for the fantasy story posters, ASCII artists etc. A little off-topica is refreshing every now and then. What are we, a conformist culture in the breeding?
My best wishes for the future.
I know this post will burn my karma. I am proud; it's for a worthy cause.
A couple months ago or so, someone posted a briliant tale of Hemos and Jon Katz(?) brutally raping and murdering a lab rabbit. If you have a copy of this, please attach as a reply. TIA!
> When I have to use netscape frequently, I switch to 3.0 rather than 4.0.
NS 6.21 is a huge improvement over NS 6.0, which was a pointless release [no pun
intended] as it was based on Mozilla M18 [tons of bugs!].
Try it - or, if you're clever, go for Mozilla 0.9.7:-)
> No, *please* don't assume us to use the browser of the week.
You miss the point. You will get the same page with optimum formatting whatever
browser you use. If it supports CSS2, then the page size will reduce drastically but
render the same [or better], only quicker.
Then again, Michael has ruled out browser sniffing...
> The only problem I can see is the requirement for XHTML compatible formatting in
> posts:"Line 12: Parse error: missing closing tag for <p>."
This can be remedied by instructing those who use 'HTML Formatted' to close their tags
properly. This also has the bonus in that they get to learn proper XHTML rules.
> Secure login - we're thinking about that. Expect to see it sooner or later.
It can never be too early.
> Browser sniffing - not likely.
Then at least modify the scripts to out put pucca HTML that validates on the W3C validator. Also, what are the chances of
phasing out tables in favour of CSS? At least as a user preference?
> Some (don't know how) system to mod up late good posters. The problem with the
> current system is early on topic posters get modded up, but a 4 hour late gem has a
> very slim change to be modded up.
How about this? Every moderator gets an option to work their way from the latest posts
to an aging article. If it's attached to a thread, then the whole thread is displayed
[for context]; else, it's standalone. Also...
> By the way, the smily in "RIGHT NOW" 8-) should have warned you this was meant as
> funny as well. I hope you got that.
Slashdot Mirror
I have been waiting long for this, and I'm glad it didn't turn out the other way round.
Those who were involved in the outcry would recall the proposal for RAND [non-free] standards was done in a rather suspicious manner. There was no announcement on the W3C's front page [I visit it regularly] but a proposal for RAND was quietly drafted, a ludicrously short deadline for feedback set and a mailing list for the same created. Why, then, is it suprising that only thirteen posts were recorded until a week before the initial deadline, ten of them spam?
Then the story broke [on The Register, IIRC] and the mails flooded in. And what a flood it was *smiles* - 755 in Sept and 1686 in Oct. My mailbox was getting a good beating.
Many voiced their opinions strongly, and with an exception or two [one of which was obvious astroturfing], they were all soundly against the inclusion of non-free patents in W3C standards [check out the archives and spot the famous names]. Under this tremendous pressure, the W3C had little alternative but to extend the deadline. I am sure certain * ahem * special interest groups were disappointed - but hey, it's for the best. Really.
And now we have this. Brilliant. Common sense and justice have won this round.
Special thanks to Bruce Perens, Daniel Phillips, Adam Warner and Gervase Markham for their dedication to this cause.
Slow Down Cowboy!
You have violated HighLordTaco's speed typing statute. Step away from the keyboard for 20 seconds. Now.
if you're reading this, please let it be known that I hold you in the highest esteem for setting off events that exposed the veiled side of the receording industry.
And thanks for all the music!
The de-facto format for IRC logs is a textfile with line breaks separating only the participants.
Having said that, I agree with you: it would be great if they would put up a HTML-ised version that wouldn't give the reader a severe migraine.
Isn't that a measure of streaming speed, and not absolute size?
In any case, one can think up of many "innocuous" uses facilitated by its innocent facade. "Oh dear, I dropped it again."
"The lines between home and office are blurring,"
And that, my dear friends, is what will decide its success. Ever-increasing workloads and unreasonable expectations of "productivity" from cost-cutting employers mean there's a good chance the above statement will come true, even if the rest [of the vision] doesn't.
A key aspect of GPG's success is to increase its adoption by users of Windows. For those of you wishing to give GPG a whirl, I suggest you get WinPT, an easy-to-use, open-source frontend.
Here are four easy steps to get you up to speed:
If you use Outlook Express, you would definitely want to get GPGOE, a GPG plugin that seamlessly integrates with Outlook. You need to install and configure GPG for this - the easiest way is to install WinPT as described above [WinPT also makes key management very easy, so there's a bonus]. Then you can download and install GPGOE, and enjoy all the goodness of integrated GPG functionality within OE.
Play around with the different options available; make a key for fun; experiment and learn. Spread the word. But most of all, have fun and be excellent to each other
Good luck.
Could be true of 7.0.3. Shortly afterwards, two major security flaws [multiple user ID vulnerability and DLL vulnerability] were discovered, and hotfixes quickly issued.
AFAIK, the patches' source is closed and un-vetted by Zimmermann or anyone outside NAI.
Applying them silently upgrades PGP 7.0.3 to 7.0.4. It doesn't show up on the "About" window. Instead, sign or encrypt a text block and note the ID string.
So does his statement of trust still apply? I don't think so.
Just wanted to let you know that
I shouldn't have let out the fact that unbeknownst to all but me, 2.5.4 is waiting in the wings, ready to send you all into raging fits.
Did you major in marketing?
Because I revel in the warm fuzzy feeling of knowing that my 1.4 GHz Athlon blows the pants off my braggard delusional friend's 1.8 GHz Pentium 4.
Sometimes understatement is the way to go.
> ... I chose to go with AT&T Broadband cable (which, sadly, is now in part owned by MS).
This suggests a disturbing, but predictable, trend . Microsoft gradually acquires the infrastructure of the internet, bit by bit, provide disincentives for leaving their service, while OTOH incentives are granted for joining them [at least in the beginning].
Then when they've gained sufficient mass, they introduce their own proprietary protocol [complete with integrated DRM]. Compatibility with TCP/IP will exist for awhile - until the remaining networks around the world are assimilated, or made illegal.
Voila, the wired world is theirs.
Sound improbable? Think again.
And read about this instance of editor moderation abuse on Slashdot while you're at it.
This could turn out to be a good thing for Linux. Why? AOL can infuse their vast resources of capital into the one thing Linux sorely lacks, namely a decent set of true-type fonts.
:-)
X11R6's default font set is so atrocious it's no surprise it repels PC users weaned on Windows' splendid set of TT fonts. Fund the development of a LGPL'd set of core fonts [similar to Microsoft's Core Web Fonts] and you have cleared one of the biggest obstacles in the way of Linux's widespread adoption.
I'm sure the zealots wouldn't mind this too much either
as I was planning to write up a moderation HOWTO as I woke up this morning, so lousy has been the moderators' performance in the past few weeks.
I always browse at -1, Nested and find a wealth of stuff hidden in the trenches. Every now and then I see some brilliant posts suspiciously modded down. Why?
Because Slashdot's current moderation system has revealed itself to be unworthy and broken. Because Slashdot needs a Kuro5hin-style moderation system.
As for the trolls - you all are doing a great job. Yes, that also goes for the fantasy story posters, ASCII artists etc. A little off-topica is refreshing every now and then. What are we, a conformist culture in the breeding?
My best wishes for the future.
I know this post will burn my karma. I am proud; it's for a worthy cause.
--
CD
I can't wait for the 'ENLARGE YOUR PENIS BY FIVE INCHES' thugs to get down on me.
> Step 2: Take Pictures in erotic poses and sell them
Let's hope Steve Ballmer isn't involved in this.
The magnetic fridge story was covered here earlier and was thus yanked out as a duplicate article.
A couple months ago or so, someone posted a briliant tale of Hemos and Jon Katz(?) brutally raping and murdering a lab rabbit. If you have a copy of this, please attach as a reply. TIA!
> When I have to use netscape frequently, I switch to 3.0 rather than 4.0.
:-)
NS 6.21 is a huge improvement over NS 6.0, which was a pointless release [no pun
intended] as it was based on Mozilla M18 [tons of bugs!].
Try it - or, if you're clever, go for Mozilla 0.9.7
> No, *please* don't assume us to use the browser of the week.
You miss the point. You will get the same page with optimum formatting whatever
browser you use. If it supports CSS2, then the page size will reduce drastically but
render the same [or better], only quicker.
Then again, Michael has ruled out browser sniffing...
> The only problem I can see is the requirement for XHTML compatible formatting in
> posts:"Line 12: Parse error: missing closing tag for <p>."
This can be remedied by instructing those who use 'HTML Formatted' to close their tags
properly. This also has the bonus in that they get to learn proper XHTML rules.
> Secure login - we're thinking about that. Expect to see it sooner or later.
It can never be too early.
> Browser sniffing - not likely.
Then at least modify the scripts to out put pucca HTML that validates on the W3C validator. Also, what are the chances of
phasing out tables in favour of CSS? At least as a user preference?
Thanks for the update.
> But the fact is that I do my browsing at home on a iMac using NS 4.76.
Then you will still get the same HTML as you do now [if you haven't changed your
preferences]
> HTML 3.1 / CSS1 (TABLES)
Nitpicking here, but there is no HTML 3.1. There is only 3.2 [aka Wilbur] after the
W3C's initial 3.0 proposal bombed in spectacular fashion.
> Some (don't know how) system to mod up late good posters. The problem with the
:-)
> current system is early on topic posters get modded up, but a 4 hour late gem has a
> very slim change to be modded up.
How about this? Every moderator gets an option to work their way from the latest posts
to an aging article. If it's attached to a thread, then the whole thread is displayed
[for context]; else, it's standalone. Also...
> By the way, the smily in "RIGHT NOW" 8-) should have warned you this was meant as
> funny as well. I hope you got that.
Sure did