In addition to the usual standard disclaimers, limitations, and permitted usage (not for nuclear facilities (?), communications, air traffic control, life support machines (?), or other), there are some clauses that stand out.
It does include MPEG-4, but I would assume you can't encode with MPEG-4 unless you license it via Quicktime.
This one I didn't understand.
13. AMR Notice. The Adaptive Multi-Rate ("AMR") encoding and decoding functionality in this product is not licensed to perform cellular voice calls, or for use in any telephony products built on the QuickTime architecture for the Windows platform. The AMR encoding and decoding functionality in this product is also not licensed for use in a cellular communications infrastructure including: base stations, base station controllers/radio network controllers, switching centers, and gateways to and from the public switched network.
The iTunes software uses the GraceNote (CDDB) database lookup; remember to change your hosts file to include map the cddb.cddb.org name to freedb.freedb.org if you've a mind to.
194.97.4.18 cddb.cddb.org
What is Kerbango? And why would I want to use it? And why does 3Com (associated with Kerbango) feel it necessary to specifically disclaim liability for "loss of or fluctuations in heat, light, or air conditioning"? I wonder what case that came from.
Just so you know, the last word in the agreement is "EA0197".
At the Apple store, logged in as an educational user, the dual-processor G5 is discounted to $2700 from the $3000 price (standard configuration). That's a 10% discount for random students buying one machine.
As a developer, the discount on hardware is around 20%, but again for just two machines per year (one desktop and one portable).
I would imagine that an educational institution could negotiate a discount of 20% in volume on the hardware.
Dell's Diminsion 8300 is $1400 regular, and $1200 educational discount, for a 14% discount. For the dual-processor PWS 650 box, identically configured, the higher-ed box is $2938, while the small business is $3005, for a 2% discount.
Following the peace prize link, and reading the speech brings this:
The armaments race created an atmosphere which not only made it difficult to work for the promotion of disarmament and peace but also threatened to muzzle freedom of speech.
Inevitably, the crusade lost impetus and faded away.
But Linus Pauling marched on; for him, retreat was impossible.
I hope that after we determine that we are not going to 100% eliminate the "terror threat" and regain some sense (and abolish some laws), that our excesses are not forgotten.
Just for more fun "patent the obvious & profit" news, Acacia Technologies has been enforcing their patent on "Digital Media Transmission" against smaller adult-oriented web sites (building their case), but is now beginning to enforce against educational web sites. They claim to own the patent on "all transmission and receipt of digital audio and/or audio video content via a variety of means".
I'm sure at some point they will continue to climb the lawsuit ladder reaching for larger judgements until somebody can afford researching prior art smacks them down. You can see their claim here.
This "patent a toll booth on the information highway" mentality needs to be stopped. Innovate, or die.
In Finland, I was told that the television inspector comes around about once a year and collects taxes based on how many televisions are in the house. Of course, the funds go towards Finnish television production.
Have you compared the BBC shows with the US shows? Last I checked, the major networks were pumping out the latest incarnation of sit-com tripe, while the BBC actually bothers to produce good shows occasionally (Nature, Doctor Who, etc.)
Look at the non-advertising network in the US -- PBS. What have they produced with public money (and corporate 'made possible by' funds)? Somewhat better, but still beholden to the advertisers.
At least in sci-fi (Enterprise), it's real hard to get credible product-placement.
And remember, the product television sells is eyeballs; the shows just keep you sedated between corporate messages.
The prizes mentioned in the article are an Hummer H2 in one contest, and $1M in Gold in another.
Personally, I'd rather they bring a check made out to me. They already know where I am. I may not be able to drive a second vehicle away, or want to risk getting hit over the head carrying that gold to a safety deposit box or pawn shop.
Imagine, if you will, walking up to a soda machine to buy a can of overpriced carbonated corn syrup, and around the corner you see this geek holding a receiving device pointed at the machine. As you leave the machine, the geek exclaims, "It's moving! Track it!" and a hoard of marketing people and flashbulbs surround you. A dude walks up with the proverbial briefcase full of gold bullion and gives it to you. (The revenue agent comes right behind and takes half back, but nevermind that.) It sounds more like a flashmob than a promotion.
My point is, it would be pretty hard not to notice a mob of people intently watching a particular vending machine waiting for the winning can to dispense. I would hope the machine would be in the middle of the desert, in mid-summer, and it takes weeks for someone to buy the winning can.
Even if you managed to hide the mob awaiting to surround the winner, there's only a short amount of time between receiving can and disposing of can. The prize patrol awards the prize to the convicted felon picking up trash on the side of the highway, or the out-of-work dot-com bum living under the bridge.
There would need to be careful planning and preparation of the winning site for that can, especially considering the prizes to be given away (subject to change). That much planning for location is not terribly random, is it?
Schools were not designed to turn young minds into great thinkers; they were created to turn out workers for the assembly line.
Schools in the US spend so much time teaching test-taking skills so the students pass the standardized tests so the teachers look good, that there's precious little time left for teaching things like critical thinking skills (aka "common sense").
As factory jobs moved overseas, and our economy needed more service workers, schools have changed as well. Now students are hit with advertisements throughout the school, and taught to be good consumers of products. Witness the Channel 1 (in-school corporate-sponsored television), and hallway billboards.
Our school systems have sold-out to corporate interests, and the school is just a 7-hour captive market.
The publishers are not worrked that the technically literate can work around the restrictions, they're pleased that their software will be running on 90+% of the population's computers that insert the CD in their computer.
What I want to know is how their software works, does it phone home, and will AdAware and Spybot Search and Destory remove it like the malware it is.
Apparently the Intel CEO didn't read the article -- they're not creating new silicon, they're choosing to use Linux for their operating system.
But, even if China does create new silicon and computing hardware, the input data and output information can still conform to international standards (ASCII, HTML, etc.) Just because the information was created without profitting Intel or AMD hardware sales does not make the information bad.
I understand he wants to protect potential profits from selling $billions of Intel hardware to China, but this FUD about incompatible standards doesn't cut it. Even if China were to make their own silicon, I'm sure a few patches to gcc would make their C++ code compile just fine for their new hardware. If China finds a way to make it (faster, cheaper, better; choose two) than what is available from current vendors, then they should make it.
One of the reasons that Open-Hardware is not generally available is the large cost of generating the silicon, and the logistics of distributing the hardware worldwide at a reasonable price. But if China is funding the fab factories, a key barrier is removed; and that should scare the beancounters at CPU manufacturers.
With a REU (Ram Expansion Unit) like the 1764, the C=64 has access to 512K of RAM in a paged fashion (similar to EMS memory for PCs).
Keep in mind that many people run the C=64 at much faster speeds than the default 1MHz -- the SuperCPU runs at 20MHz. (http://cmdrkey.com/cbm/supercpu/superinfo.html)
For those who do not have access to a real REU, perhaps you can help this guy in building your own REU.
(http://home.hccnet.nl/g.baltissen/e_reu.htm)
Also keep in mind there is a hard-drive interface for the C=64 which was available in the day -- the Lt. Kernal (http://www.geocities.com/profdredd/ltk/ltk.htm) and other offerings, along with potential offers from Commodore itself (http://www.floodgap.com/retrobits/ckb/secret/hds. html).
There is a potential real use for a broadband interface for the C=64, and although I will never need one, I am happy to see it produced for those who do.
Does this mean that the next targets are Comet Cursor and their ilk? Will BHOs no longer work in IE? No more clicking "Would you like to install ActiveX Sypware of the Week?" windows?
With so much empty space, this device is crying out for accessories. Add a squirt bottle and aquarium pump, and it's an automatic wet floor cleaner (like the Swiffer family). Since it only works on flat surfaces, this could make it useful.
Replacing the NiCad batteries with LiIon would up the run time significantly.
Turning your kitchen floor into a maze of diverters so that it cleans the entire floor (instead of just the edges) would be a worthy weekend project.
A simple IR emitter-detector could cut power to the motor when something is in front of it.
Or, you could put an old i386 motherboard and wireless ethernet inside, and have a firewall and clean floors at the same time.
You could slam it, and have a low-rider cleaner. Wait, they already did that.
I wish there was a mod for +1 Scary Orwellian Overtones.
You know THEY would use this as an excuse to do all the fun tracking and profiling with RFID. Can we chip just the chimeras instead?:)
The first thing I thought was there would be an episode of CSI:X this fall with a chimera criminal. But which one would get the case and not be able to solve it?
And talk about your early childhood profiling! "We're sorry, little Susie, but you have mixed-up chromosomes, so we're going to remove all criminal tendencies from your brain. Just swallow this pill..."
By FCC regulations, when ownership of a station changes or the license is due for renewal, the radio or television station must give sufficient notice for public comment.
If you feel that your local radio or television station is not serving the local public interest, why not let the FCC know?
Or, if you are really curious about the ownership of the station, whether the station has made any citizen's agreements which are not being honored, or to read view comments from other concerned citizens, ask for a copy of the station's Public Inspection File. You can inspect it at their station, or pay them for photocopies and they pay to mail it to you.
If you feel that the radio or televison program selection is too similar and bland, why not apply for a low-power FM station license? Unfortunately, LPFM stations are available to noncommercial educational entities and public safety and transportation organizations, but are not available to individuals or for commercial operations. However, [c]urrent broadcast licensees with interests in other media (broadcast or newspapers) are not eligible to obtain LPFM stations. Find a local existing educational entity and help them to put up a LPFM station (at a frequency which does not interfere with existing commercial stations). Also, the station must be non-commercial, but appeals for donations are acceptable.
It may be possible to reach further than the documented 3.5 miles with the maximum of 100 Watts output with strategic placement of the broadcast antenna -- I was able to hear a college station with 100 Watts at least 20 miles away with a standard vehicle radio.
Slashdot Mirror
It does include MPEG-4, but I would assume you can't encode with MPEG-4 unless you license it via Quicktime.
This one I didn't understand.
The iTunes software uses the GraceNote (CDDB) database lookup; remember to change your hosts file to include map the cddb.cddb.org name to freedb.freedb.org if you've a mind to.
What is Kerbango? And why would I want to use it? And why does 3Com (associated with Kerbango) feel it necessary to specifically disclaim liability for "loss of or fluctuations in heat, light, or air conditioning"? I wonder what case that came from.
Just so you know, the last word in the agreement is "EA0197".
This thread in particular (http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=6558) discusses the internals of the DishNetwork PVR 721. YMMV.
FWIW, Google returns three pages of links in response to the query "dish network pvr webtv hack" of which this was one.
As a developer, the discount on hardware is around 20%, but again for just two machines per year (one desktop and one portable).
I would imagine that an educational institution could negotiate a discount of 20% in volume on the hardware.
Dell's Diminsion 8300 is $1400 regular, and $1200 educational discount, for a 14% discount. For the dual-processor PWS 650 box, identically configured, the higher-ed box is $2938, while the small business is $3005, for a 2% discount.
Hmm, I think I see the problem. :)
I hope that after we determine that we are not going to 100% eliminate the "terror threat" and regain some sense (and abolish some laws), that our excesses are not forgotten.
I'm sure at some point they will continue to climb the lawsuit ladder reaching for larger judgements until somebody can afford researching prior art smacks them down. You can see their claim here.
This "patent a toll booth on the information highway" mentality needs to be stopped. Innovate, or die.
Have you compared the BBC shows with the US shows? Last I checked, the major networks were pumping out the latest incarnation of sit-com tripe, while the BBC actually bothers to produce good shows occasionally (Nature, Doctor Who, etc.)
Look at the non-advertising network in the US -- PBS. What have they produced with public money (and corporate 'made possible by' funds)? Somewhat better, but still beholden to the advertisers.
At least in sci-fi (Enterprise), it's real hard to get credible product-placement.
And remember, the product television sells is eyeballs; the shows just keep you sedated between corporate messages.
Personally, I'd rather they bring a check made out to me. They already know where I am. I may not be able to drive a second vehicle away, or want to risk getting hit over the head carrying that gold to a safety deposit box or pawn shop.
Imagine, if you will, walking up to a soda machine to buy a can of overpriced carbonated corn syrup, and around the corner you see this geek holding a receiving device pointed at the machine. As you leave the machine, the geek exclaims, "It's moving! Track it!" and a hoard of marketing people and flashbulbs surround you. A dude walks up with the proverbial briefcase full of gold bullion and gives it to you. (The revenue agent comes right behind and takes half back, but nevermind that.) It sounds more like a flashmob than a promotion.
My point is, it would be pretty hard not to notice a mob of people intently watching a particular vending machine waiting for the winning can to dispense. I would hope the machine would be in the middle of the desert, in mid-summer, and it takes weeks for someone to buy the winning can.
Even if you managed to hide the mob awaiting to surround the winner, there's only a short amount of time between receiving can and disposing of can. The prize patrol awards the prize to the convicted felon picking up trash on the side of the highway, or the out-of-work dot-com bum living under the bridge.
There would need to be careful planning and preparation of the winning site for that can, especially considering the prizes to be given away (subject to change). That much planning for location is not terribly random, is it?
Schools in the US spend so much time teaching test-taking skills so the students pass the standardized tests so the teachers look good, that there's precious little time left for teaching things like critical thinking skills (aka "common sense").
As factory jobs moved overseas, and our economy needed more service workers, schools have changed as well. Now students are hit with advertisements throughout the school, and taught to be good consumers of products. Witness the Channel 1 (in-school corporate-sponsored television), and hallway billboards.
Our school systems have sold-out to corporate interests, and the school is just a 7-hour captive market.
What I want to know is how their software works, does it phone home, and will AdAware and Spybot Search and Destory remove it like the malware it is.
But, even if China does create new silicon and computing hardware, the input data and output information can still conform to international standards (ASCII, HTML, etc.) Just because the information was created without profitting Intel or AMD hardware sales does not make the information bad.
I understand he wants to protect potential profits from selling $billions of Intel hardware to China, but this FUD about incompatible standards doesn't cut it. Even if China were to make their own silicon, I'm sure a few patches to gcc would make their C++ code compile just fine for their new hardware. If China finds a way to make it (faster, cheaper, better; choose two) than what is available from current vendors, then they should make it.
One of the reasons that Open-Hardware is not generally available is the large cost of generating the silicon, and the logistics of distributing the hardware worldwide at a reasonable price. But if China is funding the fab factories, a key barrier is removed; and that should scare the beancounters at CPU manufacturers.
Keep in mind that many people run the C=64 at much faster speeds than the default 1MHz -- the SuperCPU runs at 20MHz. (http://cmdrkey.com/cbm/supercpu/superinfo.html)
For those who do not have access to a real REU, perhaps you can help this guy in building your own REU. (http://home.hccnet.nl/g.baltissen/e_reu.htm)
Also keep in mind there is a hard-drive interface for the C=64 which was available in the day -- the Lt. Kernal (http://www.geocities.com/profdredd/ltk/ltk.htm) and other offerings, along with potential offers from Commodore itself (http://www.floodgap.com/retrobits/ckb/secret/hds. html).
There is a potential real use for a broadband interface for the C=64, and although I will never need one, I am happy to see it produced for those who do.
Along with the free version, there's the option of supporting their efforts to keep our machines spyware-free.
I've taken to burning the mini-CDR discs with these tools, along with Mozilla, and handing them out to friends and family.
Where and when do I get this patch? :)
Replacing the NiCad batteries with LiIon would up the run time significantly.
Turning your kitchen floor into a maze of diverters so that it cleans the entire floor (instead of just the edges) would be a worthy weekend project.
A simple IR emitter-detector could cut power to the motor when something is in front of it.
Or, you could put an old i386 motherboard and wireless ethernet inside, and have a firewall and clean floors at the same time.
You could slam it, and have a low-rider cleaner. Wait, they already did that.
I know someone who had their subsumed twin removed from their pancreas (and general area) in their mid-40s. It didn't develop, just grew tumor-like.
I wonder if more people who think they have cancer actually have a subsumed twin instead? Probably not that common. Do they check the genetics?
You know THEY would use this as an excuse to do all the fun tracking and profiling with RFID. Can we chip just the chimeras instead? :)
The first thing I thought was there would be an episode of CSI:X this fall with a chimera criminal. But which one would get the case and not be able to solve it?
And talk about your early childhood profiling! "We're sorry, little Susie, but you have mixed-up chromosomes, so we're going to remove all criminal tendencies from your brain. Just swallow this pill..."
If you feel that your local radio or television station is not serving the local public interest, why not let the FCC know?
Or, if you are really curious about the ownership of the station, whether the station has made any citizen's agreements which are not being honored, or to read view comments from other concerned citizens, ask for a copy of the station's Public Inspection File. You can inspect it at their station, or pay them for photocopies and they pay to mail it to you.
If you feel that the radio or televison program selection is too similar and bland, why not apply for a low-power FM station license? Unfortunately, LPFM stations are available to noncommercial educational entities and public safety and transportation organizations, but are not available to individuals or for commercial operations. However, [c]urrent broadcast licensees with interests in other media (broadcast or newspapers) are not eligible to obtain LPFM stations. Find a local existing educational entity and help them to put up a LPFM station (at a frequency which does not interfere with existing commercial stations). Also, the station must be non-commercial, but appeals for donations are acceptable.
It may be possible to reach further than the documented 3.5 miles with the maximum of 100 Watts output with strategic placement of the broadcast antenna -- I was able to hear a college station with 100 Watts at least 20 miles away with a standard vehicle radio.