"For the past two years, hundreds of extraordinary UFO-like images have been gleaned by a Spanish-based team using two space-based satellites."...and the hubcap from a 81 Ford Bronco...:-)
"Even today, you can still get to a C: prompt under Windows XP, which means a disk operating system is hiding there no matter what Microsoft wants us to believe."
This is pretty much total crap. Yes, you can bring up a C prompt. Does that mean that XP sits on top of DOS? No. What you are doing is running a type of "DOS emulator." It's not really DOS at all.
"Windows XP is not an operating system. It is a windowing system that sits atop an operating system much as KDE or Gnome sit atop Linux."
Nope... Total crap here.
Windows, Windows 95, 98 and I believe ME are one branch. Windows NT is a completely different code base. NT, 2000 and I believe XP are all from the same code base.
PCI-SGI is a nonprofit organization. I thought that nonprofit organizations all worked together for the common good. . . I guess I was wrong.
Oh well. If I know the slashdot community PCI-SGI is going to have to work overtime for the next three months just to get through all the email from outraged slashdotters.
Let's hope that they are big enough to see what boneheads they are and apologize. And while they are at it maybe they would like to spend the extra capital it will take to provide the same service that they destroyed.
You rant on about how Mandrake fails to live up to the traditional business model. Let me give you a hint: Free software is not a traditional business model and, in fact, the correct model if there is one had not been fully defined.
Mandrake puts out a good product and God forbid that they should ask for donations! Oh horror! The assumtion is that people who contribute use mandrake so it's not really wealfare!
A lot of people are proclaiming the death of Mandrake. Let us be clear as to the meaning of Mandrake's bankruptcy action. If the article is correct, Mandrake will continue to operate. It WILL NOT die. The article didn't mention any downside to this legal action so maybe a reader who is familiar with French law can comment further.
As far as all of the posts that fall into the "good riddance" category. It is difficult for me to express my displeasure adequately without the help of hand gestures. Just because Mandrake is not be your favorite distribution of Linux it is still Linux and is contributing to the Linux community. Are you??
Mandrake is not a company with a poor business plan, they are a company that use to have a poor business plan. It is not the first time nor will it be the last that bad management has decided to hire consultants rather than trust the expertise of their in-house people.
The greatest downside that I see is the stigma of bankruptcy. However, this should wear off fairly quickly as Mandrake continues to put out a good product and starts turning a profit.
Do you even have a clue? Mandrake a "security nightmare?" Mandrake is no worse than any other distro and probably better than most. It has several levels of security from wide open to very closed.
Sorry but I don't buy it. This story reeks like a mushroom farm.
First of all, in order for an MP3 file to cause a virus infection the player or P2P software would have to handle the malformed MP3 incorrectly. There would need to be a buffer overflow or some other exploit available that could be used.
Second, anyone creating a worm such as this would be prosecuted and/or sued out of existence. Consider these problems:
If the RIAA infects one of it's own MP3's with a virus and places it on a P2P network, the placement of the file by them is implying consent for other's to download it. So they would infect (do damage) to a person who is well within the law.
If person 1 downloads a worm and his system becomes infected and person 2 downloads A LEGITIMATE file from person 1 and becomes infected then person 2 has been damaged by the creator of the worm even though he has done nothing illegal. So not even a vigilante law would protect the RIAA from lawsuits.
The thing that the RIAA does not care to acknowledge is that P2P networks have a legitimate use. Not all files traded violate copyright law.
I agree with your point that modern computer science makes it possible to distribute content, musical and otherwise, without the traditional business models. I also agree with your inference that the music industry is gouging the consumer with inflated CD prices.
However, I believe that the RIAA and its members are incapable of adapting. There are a lot of big egos in almost all organizations and the RIAA and MPAA are no exceptions. Jack Valenti, the president of the Motion Picture Association of America is one of the most arrogant SOBs I have ever seen. At one time he was a close aide to President Lyndon Johnson and it appears that he feels that he is superior to you or me.
I think it unlikely that he can see past that enormous ego of his to let go of the old school of 'control and dominate' to embrace a new way of doing business. In his narrow minded view of the world the only thing to do is to use his influence and the MPAA's wealth to lobby our government in an effort to pass laws that would extend his pathetic 'control and dominate' philosophy.
So he bought Senator Fritz Hollings and maybe others. Hollings sponsored that horrid bill the SSSCA that would require that hardware manufactures imbed circuitry in all digital devices so that the entertainment industry could have control over what we would be allowed to copy. Analog output would be made illegal so that we couldn't use low tech devices to re-record entertainment content.
Hmmm... I seem to have gone off on a rant. Anyway, I agree that technology is making distribution of content easier but don't look for the entertainment industry to embrace change any time soon.
I'm not sure how to take a list of 'winners' that has KaZaa listed in the number one spot except to say that the 'winners' of 2002 my be the big losers of 2003.
The entertainment industry has won the right to sue KaZaa in the US. This will most assuredly ensue during the next few years. I'm not sure that under the law KaZaa is guilty of anything. What I am sure of is that the entertainment industry is far more finically capable of engaging in litigation than KaZaa is in defending against that litigation.
Napster made the mistake of providing a list of shared files to their users. The implication of this is that Napster should have known that most files shared where copyrighted and were being shared without the copyright owners permission. Further, the fact that Napster provided information as to where the user could find specific copyrighted materials meant that Napster was actively aiding in copyright infringements.
P2P programs like LimeWire that sprang up after Napster's legal problems began didn't inform the user where to find specific files. They only provide some of the IP addresses to computers on the network. It is the individual clients that must provide content lists. In this way LimeWire and other P2P software providers can distance themselves from copyright infringements. P2P networks have legitimate uses just as a hunting rifle has a legitimate use. It is no more the P2P software companies responsibility to ensure that user don't break the law than it is for the manufactures of hunting rifles to ensure that none of their products are used in murders or other crimes. At least that will be one defense that will probably be put to the courts.
However, I believe that the entertainment industry will crush these companies by driving them into bankruptcy through litigation. It's not right but it's just one more symptom of our societies being taken over by the Corporations.
Yes, DRM is being pushed by Microsoft and others. Do you find it surprising that I mention the fact? Being that the original article is about a Microsoft product you shouldn't be. As far as criticizing my use of the word "cartel", that's a pathetic debating tactic worthy of a high school student.
cartel - A combination of independent businesses formed to regulate production, pricing and marketing of goods by the members. Yep, seems to be the correct word.
You really have never heard of fair use?? Well then, from the copyright law:
107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use38
Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include-
(1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
(2) the nature of the copyrighted work;
(3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
(4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.
. Piracy is a real problem and I have spoke out vigorously against stealing intellectual property of any kind.
However, DRM destroys our fair use rights as defined under copyright law. It's not good for the consumer. It's being pushed by a Software monopoly that has already been found guilty of breaking antitrust laws and an entertainment cartel that fixes prices and lobbies (bribes) our politicians in order to subvert justice.
It was flamebait because you engaged in mindless name calling. For example if I called you a dickless scum sucking maggot this post would probably be modded down as flamebait. But I won't do that.
That is exactly why I didn't agree with Microsoft when they said that video streaming was going to power the next generation of PCs. Why would I want to sit at my PC for a couple of hours and watch a movie on my monitor??
Lots of people have entertainment centers that allow the whole family to be comfortable while watching movies. I just can't see my family croweded around my PC watching "The Two Towers."
Slashdot Mirror
"For the past two years, hundreds of extraordinary UFO-like images have been gleaned by a Spanish-based team using two space-based satellites." ...and the hubcap from a 81 Ford Bronco... :-)
"Even today, you can still get to a C: prompt under Windows XP, which means a disk operating system is hiding there no matter what Microsoft wants us to believe."
This is pretty much total crap. Yes, you can bring up a C prompt. Does that mean that XP sits on top of DOS? No. What you are doing is running a type of "DOS emulator." It's not really DOS at all.
"Windows XP is not an operating system. It is a windowing system that sits atop an operating system much as KDE or Gnome sit atop Linux."
Nope... Total crap here.
Windows, Windows 95, 98 and I believe ME are one branch. Windows NT is a completely different code base. NT, 2000 and I believe XP are all from the same code base.
"Though I'd rather take from people willing to give."
But you'll take and take and take no matter what...
When your in some lonely prison with Bubba the Butt Fucker remember that...
I should have known it was going to be a bad day when I got up this morning and dropped my toothbrush into the toilet!
PCI-SGI is a nonprofit organization. I thought that nonprofit organizations all worked together for the common good. . . I guess I was wrong.
Oh well. If I know the slashdot community PCI-SGI is going to have to work overtime for the next three months just to get through all the email from outraged slashdotters.
Let's hope that they are big enough to see what boneheads they are and apologize. And while they are at it maybe they would like to spend the extra capital it will take to provide the same service that they destroyed.
You rant on about how Mandrake fails to live up to the traditional business model. Let me give you a hint: Free software is not a traditional business model and, in fact, the correct model if there is one had not been fully defined.
Mandrake puts out a good product and God forbid that they should ask for donations! Oh horror! The assumtion is that people who contribute use mandrake so it's not really wealfare!
A lot of people are proclaiming the death of Mandrake. Let us be clear as to the meaning of Mandrake's bankruptcy action. If the article is correct, Mandrake will continue to operate. It WILL NOT die. The article didn't mention any downside to this legal action so maybe a reader who is familiar with French law can comment further.
As far as all of the posts that fall into the "good riddance" category. It is difficult for me to express my displeasure adequately without the help of hand gestures. Just because Mandrake is not be your favorite distribution of Linux it is still Linux and is contributing to the Linux community. Are you??
Mandrake is not a company with a poor business plan, they are a company that use to have a poor business plan. It is not the first time nor will it be the last that bad management has decided to hire consultants rather than trust the expertise of their in-house people.
The greatest downside that I see is the stigma of bankruptcy. However, this should wear off fairly quickly as Mandrake continues to put out a good product and starts turning a profit.
Do you even have a clue? Mandrake a "security nightmare?" Mandrake is no worse than any other distro and probably better than most. It has several levels of security from wide open to very closed.
Get a clue, buy a vowel or something...
Sorry but I don't buy it. This story reeks like a mushroom farm.
First of all, in order for an MP3 file to cause a virus infection the player or P2P software would have to handle the malformed MP3 incorrectly. There would need to be a buffer overflow or some other exploit available that could be used.
Second, anyone creating a worm such as this would be prosecuted and/or sued out of existence. Consider these problems:
If the RIAA infects one of it's own MP3's with a virus and places it on a P2P network, the placement of the file by them is implying consent for other's to download it. So they would infect (do damage) to a person who is well within the law.
If person 1 downloads a worm and his system becomes infected and person 2 downloads A LEGITIMATE file from person 1 and becomes infected then person 2 has been damaged by the creator of the worm even though he has done nothing illegal. So not even a vigilante law would protect the RIAA from lawsuits.
The thing that the RIAA does not care to acknowledge is that P2P networks have a legitimate use. Not all files traded violate copyright law.
I agree with your point that modern computer science makes it possible to distribute content, musical and otherwise, without the traditional business models. I also agree with your inference that the music industry is gouging the consumer with inflated CD prices.
However, I believe that the RIAA and its members are incapable of adapting. There are a lot of big egos in almost all organizations and the RIAA and MPAA are no exceptions. Jack Valenti, the president of the Motion Picture Association of America is one of the most arrogant SOBs I have ever seen. At one time he was a close aide to President Lyndon Johnson and it appears that he feels that he is superior to you or me.
I think it unlikely that he can see past that enormous ego of his to let go of the old school of 'control and dominate' to embrace a new way of doing business. In his narrow minded view of the world the only thing to do is to use his influence and the MPAA's wealth to lobby our government in an effort to pass laws that would extend his pathetic 'control and dominate' philosophy.
So he bought Senator Fritz Hollings and maybe others. Hollings sponsored that horrid bill the SSSCA that would require that hardware manufactures imbed circuitry in all digital devices so that the entertainment industry could have control over what we would be allowed to copy. Analog output would be made illegal so that we couldn't use low tech devices to re-record entertainment content.
Hmmm... I seem to have gone off on a rant. Anyway, I agree that technology is making distribution of content easier but don't look for the entertainment industry to embrace change any time soon.
I'm not sure how to take a list of 'winners' that has KaZaa listed in the number one spot except to say that the 'winners' of 2002 my be the big losers of 2003.
The entertainment industry has won the right to sue KaZaa in the US. This will most assuredly ensue during the next few years. I'm not sure that under the law KaZaa is guilty of anything. What I am sure of is that the entertainment industry is far more finically capable of engaging in litigation than KaZaa is in defending against that litigation.
Napster made the mistake of providing a list of shared files to their users. The implication of this is that Napster should have known that most files shared where copyrighted and were being shared without the copyright owners permission. Further, the fact that Napster provided information as to where the user could find specific copyrighted materials meant that Napster was actively aiding in copyright infringements.
P2P programs like LimeWire that sprang up after Napster's legal problems began didn't inform the user where to find specific files. They only provide some of the IP addresses to computers on the network. It is the individual clients that must provide content lists. In this way LimeWire and other P2P software providers can distance themselves from copyright infringements. P2P networks have legitimate uses just as a hunting rifle has a legitimate use. It is no more the P2P software companies responsibility to ensure that user don't break the law than it is for the manufactures of hunting rifles to ensure that none of their products are used in murders or other crimes. At least that will be one defense that will probably be put to the courts.
However, I believe that the entertainment industry will crush these companies by driving them into bankruptcy through litigation. It's not right but it's just one more symptom of our societies being taken over by the Corporations.
Hey I just got a prototype of the trusted computing BIOS. It's not so bad. As far as I can tell I can do all the things that I use to.
No one is controlling my hardware but me. I still worry about the way that Microsoft is &$^^ *$(#@) ()%)$! but other than that it's not too bad.
Oh yeah and I still have concerns about how the government is )^%$ $^*** $#*%$ &^. (&$# %$*@% (^% . But I'm sure we'll be able to stop that.
We do need to watch the entertainment industry also because they're still trying to #@*^ %#^ &$ (&$%)*%.
Yep these new BIOS are nothing to worry about.
"This is why this law needs to die a bloody death."
:-)
Well, no... This is only ONE of the reasons why this law needs to die a bloody death!
"Under section 1201 of the DMCA, it is generally unlawful to circumvent technology that restricts access to a copyrighted work."
:-)
It seems to me that someone should tell Lexmark that the dry ink becomes part of a copyrighted work after it is used, not before!
Yes, DRM is being pushed by Microsoft and others. Do you find it surprising that I mention the fact? Being that the original article is about a Microsoft product you shouldn't be. As far as criticizing my use of the word "cartel", that's a pathetic debating tactic worthy of a high school student.
cartel - A combination of independent businesses formed to regulate production, pricing and marketing of goods by the members. Yep, seems to be the correct word.
You really have never heard of fair use?? Well then, from the copyright law:
107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use38
Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include-
(1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
(2) the nature of the copyrighted work;
(3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
(4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.
.
Piracy is a real problem and I have spoke out vigorously against stealing intellectual property of any kind.
However, DRM destroys our fair use rights as defined under copyright law. It's not good for the consumer. It's being pushed by a Software monopoly that has already been found guilty of breaking antitrust laws and an entertainment cartel that fixes prices and lobbies (bribes) our politicians in order to subvert justice.
It was flamebait because you engaged in mindless name calling. For example if I called you a dickless scum sucking maggot this post would probably be modded down as flamebait. But I won't do that.
I always try to avoid stating the obvious.
What an intelligent person full of bright ideas. You sir are a real assssssset to the slashdot community!
The "Linux and MacOS won't be able to compete with this." part was an unnecessary jab at Linux and MacOS.
"I don't have the time to read the article but I'm guessing it has several flaws:"
.
.
.
"Wagner LLC Consulting Co. - Getting it right the first time"
If you want to get it right the first time as your sig states, I would suggest _taking_ the time to read the article before commenting....
Just a suggestion
"A generic Linux install..."
What ever that is...
That is exactly why I didn't agree with Microsoft when they said that video streaming was going to power the next generation of PCs. Why would I want to sit at my PC for a couple of hours and watch a movie on my monitor??
Lots of people have entertainment centers that allow the whole family to be comfortable while watching movies. I just can't see my family croweded around my PC watching "The Two Towers."
Oh well, to each his own I guess.
I don't know who modded the parent down as a troll but DRM is a legitimate concern here.
Oh, I see. You're saying that open source software is never top notch.
Nice troll.