My point was that I went from using a complicated & integrated UI to a sweet simple one; and I found myself actually concentrating on the software I am working with more than on the UI itself (changing settings, tweaking, chasing bugs - I've found many of my apps are faster and more stable in Fluxbox, especially sound editing and openGL apps; KDE:1-2 app crashes per week (see below) Fluxbox:two in the last three months. Same apps. )
The UI is more transparent; I like it that way.
I will confess that a big reason for my switchover is that I was never able to make arts play nice with the 2.6 kernel; even the latest KDE (which I updated to last week) arts still crashes randomly:( Possibly just my setup - tho it's ultra stable while not running KDE - but I'm not going to waste my time on it. )
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against KDE; it just doesn't work as well for me as Fluxbox does; and my point in the original post was that choice is one of the places where Linux really shines:)
Good points and I agree with them; that's why I called Canada's solution "partial". It seems to work to a large extent, but really isn't the way to go about it.
The distribution of any money collected in that manner will always misappropriated and every time money changes hands there are opportunities for corruption and diverting that money to "more worthy" goals.
Yeah. Reminds me of the S&L bailout:) and a lot of other corporate welfare. Main reason why I'm die-hard libertarian - the government should not be tax financing private industry, as you say.
But - as long as we already are doing it - it might be a way to somewhat mollify the RIAA until they pull their heads out and realize that there is no way whatsoever that they will ever stop filesharing short of getting laws passed outlawing P2P, Usenet, IRC, FTP, NFS, Samba/SMB, and email over broadband... nah, I'm dreaming...the greed in that industry runs too deep.
At least it seems to work in Canada to a large extent. Smarter legal system, maybe.
A meme change to start calling the "music industry" instead as the "music cartel" might become very successful with/. readers and other like-minded individuals, and if it starts becoming very successful it could very likely start a political process simply because of the thought change from trying to support the group.
I suspect it already is so; at least in other countries. Here in the US it is still very underground, but steadily gaining "converts" (I use the term loosely of course). The "paradigm change" is already well under way; it certainly has had enough public exposure to fixate most people's opinions, one way or another.
What really remains to be seen is whether the political/public process will reflect the desire of the citizen at large, or the desire of the corporate lobbies. That's sufficiently chaotic that there is no way to predict the eventual result (and given sufficient time, perhaps solutions such as Canada's partial one might be modified to fit what's happening (?)
There is a whole generation (and another on it's way) growing up with filesharing (over whatever media) being more or less integrated into their worldview. I suspect that is going to change things more than publicity will. Too bad the RIAA doesn't understand that.
Whether or not it's semantically accurate (and "Cartel" is so) is really meaningless when it comes down to public opinion - but then you already know that:)
I was a KDE user for a long time because it was close to what I was familiar with (windows; yeah, the shame:). Some time ago I switched to Fluxbox at the recommendation of an IRC friend, and learned to set it up the way I wanted it to be (thanks CyberDaemon:).
I find that I get a lot more done now than I used to, and the UI doesn't get in the way.
Simple and Clean is sweetness, but the really great thing about Linux is having the choice to use what works for one; not what works generically for everybody.
But if you think you can change slashdot, then you are barking up a tree with no coons.
My point was that you make your choice WRT to where you want to be - as here. If you don't like it, leave. I've left a couple times in the last few years, came back, and now I'm considering leaving again - this time mostly because I have more productive things to do.
One of the great things about slashdot is that you can voice your opinion, but that doesn't mean that slashdot is going to change to be what you want it to be. Define "Stuff for Nerds":) - for that matter, define "nerds"; do you seriously think that all 'nerds' see the world the way you do? Do you think that some of us might not be concerned about the IT issues, also? (which as I was trying to point out, right now are becoming focused on SCO, MS and the bullshit therein?)
Y'know, I like the tech issues probably as much as you do - but there are larger ones, too.
There are plenty of articles on here that don't have 'establishment' issues. No one is forcing you to read the ones that do.
It will always boil down to this--security as a criticism against Windows will always be something that's only valid to other Slashdotters. Most of the rest of the world doesn't see it that way,
[ Emphasis mine ] - The value of "Most" is decreasing steadily - that's the fault in your argument there.
As to the rest of that paragraph, did you ever consider that oftentimes having a website that brings this kind of news, however biased, serves just as valuable a function as any other news site? Don't read it if you don't like it. Nobody forces you to read any news at all.
This place has become an anti-RIAA, anti-M$ site. I miss when there was no agenda other than being a cool site for nerds to get news on the latest Stallman lecture, Linux kernel technology, or programmer interview.
You should change your browsing preferences. I see lots of articles on other stuff.
Seems to me that you've limited yourself to reading the IT articles about the RIAA and Microsoft vulnerabilities. There are many other stories posted here. I'll agree that the IT part has been focused on MS, the RIAA, and SCO - but did you ever think that that is because those are the issues that are are very important ones in the IT field nowadays?
Perhaps the slashdot opinion has also shifted to anti-MS for other reasons (just to play Devil's Adv). Perhaps the domination and idiot FUD we see is a "important reason". Consider that MS is the antithesis of Stallman, and Linux (they've declared themselves so, it's not an arguable point)
Let's be honest, slashdot is primarily IT oriented - and what are the big issues in IT now?
I'd like to see more good articles in the sciences (particularly astronomy) section - but I can't have those, either, can I? We all have views on what is important, don't we?
Perhaps there are a lot of anti-establishment themes because the "establishment" is making a lot of geeks angry and a lot of geeks with different viewpoints are responding to them?
This is a community site, remember. It has to respond to it's readers. Editors aside, I doubt that community voting on story posting would work, which would be the only viable change in slashdot that I can see would fix what you're complaining about. Not that I entirely disagree with you. Reality sucks:) and if you don't like slashdot, go elsewhere.
That said; Michael, you're an idiot:) but you're young, and forgiven.
But, seriously, if one doesn't like this forum, there are others. This *is* one of the best all-around ones out there now, tho, that I'll agree on.
SB (well, I blew away any chances of getting mod points by bitching about them a few weeks ago; not that I really care:)
I still fail to understand why Microsoft didn't wake up after Melissa.
I didn't get nailed - I didn't use IE/OE - but we were cleaning Melissa off of systems for months on a FT basis; and even 5 years afterward we'd still see Melissa infections once or twice a month (oh, what fun, and Melissa wasn't even the worse - the Klez variants later on kept our phones ringing 24/7 - job security, natch:)
That was so damned long ago! Y'know, it's been TWO FRICCIN YEARS since they announced the 'security inititiave' and the last year has been (arguably) the WORSE year in virus propogation among MS systems - and it's been XP! and (semi/somewhat/sometimes if it doesn't break it) updated versions of IIS!
Security. MS. Bah. As to SP2, when it's been out and installed on a lot of systems for 6 months, and their fixes are working, I'll believe it. Not until then. Probably not even then, given the number of base vuln's that MS hasn't yet fixed and that have been around for years.
(I've told the 14 customers (side jobs) that I'll be installing SP2 for that I WILL NOT guarantee it'll be vulnerability free. For the most part they understand that. I won't take any contracts where they don't, in writing. I was a wintech for 7 years; read into that what you want. )
MS. Security. Bah. I'll be in the thick this next year - corporate just installed our new WinXP based POS systems, all connected to the internet - firewalled to the hilt (hmph...) - we'll see. Might just have to take a road trip later this year with a 12volt dog shit cooker in the back and a lot of paper bags. Hrrrrummph. Grrrr...
So essentially it's useless as a anti-piracy measure? If a virus can modify your running code, then it will have permission to modify the code on disk, right?
I'm confused, here. Are you saying that even for a Windows application that is run as a non-privileged user you have to spend extra effort to make sure the executable code doesn't get overwritten by some malevolent application running under admin privs? What prevents said app (virus, copy protection crack, etc) from replacing the executable on the hard drive? I do very little coding anymore, am I missing something?
Not trolling, but isn't this really an OS design problem? As you point out, it's not really a problem with *nix/BSD systems. Userspace applications simply cannot modify system executables without access.
(I would also like to point out that there is software for *nix/*BSD which is proprietary and is sold for profit. There's nothing about writing software for OSS/GNU/wtvr OSs that automagically requires you to release your code. It's your software, choose your own license.)
SB (If my question/post is unclear, blame the 12 1/2 hour work day today that turned my brain to worse mush than it usually is:)
Fairly simple solution that could be used; when you do the install, put the user's home dir on a mounted partition, and set the noexec flag on the partition. That makes it pretty tough for them to simply save and execute a *nix virus (and other stuff too, but for some users it may be necessary:)
The people who run the Grass (geosoft) website seem to do it flawlessly:)
It's the hang in images-aud access (which leaves Moz wondering - it's not a bandwidth thing, it's a user annoyance) - I hope they fix this - I doubt my boss will appreciate me porting my home rules to the work server but DAMNED if I'll put up with it when I want to read/./rant
Trying to decide how to write the proxy rules right now
Of course I could be wrong and its all in preperation for some slashdot/microsoft partnership
Eeeeeuuuuwww. You have a seriously twisted mind:) Don't even go there...
Sorry if this is more-less incoherent, dealing with more windows than I can absorb right now - thanks to fluxbox stability:)
Dammit, I just wanted to be a carpenter and do computers at home as a hobby - stupid me:) you'd think that 6 years of MS TS would have taught me better.
ah, hell, I should just walk away and go outside:)
Bastards...been doing some yakking on IRC since last post... and I think you are right on target.
I started to notice them at about the same time my posting page started to go a bit screwy.
I noticed that too; I'm not a Java geek, but it's readable:)
I wonder if slashdot isn't doing, as you said, some demographic ad targeting? If so, they can fuck off, to put it politely...
Timestamping...now that's interesting. But if they wanted to geolocate their customers, they could do it much easier thru IP addresses, could they not?
Regardless, I'm filtering it. I'm sick of it, and sick of being on the defensive all the time (!!) when it comes to websites...it's getting really, really old. Scriptable or not, it just plain sucks when you have to play with your proxy settings. Bastards! Never thought/. would go this far...
-- below is for OSDN/Slashdot division --
It would be (NOTICE TO TACO & CO) really, really POLITE if you would notify us of such changes, why you're doing them, etc. HEY TACO/CO -- this site is for the "users", yes? Wanna keep your really serious posters here? Then quit experimenting on us - we don't appreciate it. I am seriously annoyed right now. -> Nope, I don't have to be here, now...do I? Does it really take so much effort to say "Hey, we're going to implement "X" - you don't even have to allow comments!
-- cut rant --
Argh.
Sorry, LiquidCoooled:) My temper's up, and I'm thinking of nuclear options (blame the biz in Fallujah)
Slashdot Mirror
My point was that I went from using a complicated & integrated UI to a sweet simple one; and I found myself actually concentrating on the software I am working with more than on the UI itself (changing settings, tweaking, chasing bugs - I've found many of my apps are faster and more stable in Fluxbox, especially sound editing and openGL apps; KDE:1-2 app crashes per week (see below) Fluxbox:two in the last three months. Same apps. )
:( Possibly just my setup - tho it's ultra stable while not running KDE - but I'm not going to waste my time on it. )
:)
The UI is more transparent; I like it that way.
I will confess that a big reason for my switchover is that I was never able to make arts play nice with the 2.6 kernel; even the latest KDE (which I updated to last week) arts still crashes randomly
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against KDE; it just doesn't work as well for me as Fluxbox does; and my point in the original post was that choice is one of the places where Linux really shines
Cheers
SB
Futz! TANJ!
SB
Good points and I agree with them; that's why I called Canada's solution "partial". It seems to work to a large extent, but really isn't the way to go about it.
:) and a lot of other corporate welfare. Main reason why I'm die-hard libertarian - the government should not be tax financing private industry, as you say.
The distribution of any money collected in that manner will always misappropriated and every time money changes hands there are opportunities for corruption and diverting that money to "more worthy" goals.
Yeah. Reminds me of the S&L bailout
But - as long as we already are doing it - it might be a way to somewhat mollify the RIAA until they pull their heads out and realize that there is no way whatsoever that they will ever stop filesharing short of getting laws passed outlawing P2P, Usenet, IRC, FTP, NFS, Samba/SMB, and email over broadband... nah, I'm dreaming...the greed in that industry runs too deep.
At least it seems to work in Canada to a large extent. Smarter legal system, maybe.
Sigh.
SB
Yeah, except for those pesky login scripts that need to be executed...
/home/bin...
A good point, but that could be worked around.
And anything customized users might have in
Directory not found...
SB
A meme change to start calling the "music industry" instead as the "music cartel" might become very successful with /. readers and other like-minded individuals, and if it starts becoming very successful it could very likely start a political process simply because of the thought change from trying to support the group.
:)
I suspect it already is so; at least in other countries. Here in the US it is still very underground, but steadily gaining "converts" (I use the term loosely of course). The "paradigm change" is already well under way; it certainly has had enough public exposure to fixate most people's opinions, one way or another.
What really remains to be seen is whether the political/public process will reflect the desire of the citizen at large, or the desire of the corporate lobbies. That's sufficiently chaotic that there is no way to predict the eventual result (and given sufficient time, perhaps solutions such as Canada's partial one might be modified to fit what's happening (?)
There is a whole generation (and another on it's way) growing up with filesharing (over whatever media) being more or less integrated into their worldview. I suspect that is going to change things more than publicity will. Too bad the RIAA doesn't understand that.
Whether or not it's semantically accurate (and "Cartel" is so) is really meaningless when it comes down to public opinion - but then you already know that
Cheers
SB
just because the protons and neutrons share the nucleus, does not mean that electrons are off in another atom; they coexist.
Huh?
Dude, Sunshine tabs are not the path to understanding. Trust me on this.
SB
Mod parent up.
Exactly.
I was a KDE user for a long time because it was close to what I was familiar with (windows; yeah, the shame
I find that I get a lot more done now than I used to, and the UI doesn't get in the way.
Simple and Clean is sweetness, but the really great thing about Linux is having the choice to use what works for one; not what works generically for everybody.
SB
Yup, and it's $699 per month.
SB
Well...perhaps.
But if you think you can change slashdot, then you are barking up a tree with no coons.
My point was that you make your choice WRT to where you want to be - as here. If you don't like it, leave. I've left a couple times in the last few years, came back, and now I'm considering leaving again - this time mostly because I have more productive things to do.
One of the great things about slashdot is that you can voice your opinion, but that doesn't mean that slashdot is going to change to be what you want it to be. Define "Stuff for Nerds"
Y'know, I like the tech issues probably as much as you do - but there are larger ones, too.
There are plenty of articles on here that don't have 'establishment' issues. No one is forcing you to read the ones that do.
SB
It will always boil down to this--security as a criticism against Windows will always be something that's only valid to other Slashdotters. Most of the rest of the world doesn't see it that way,
[ Emphasis mine ] - The value of "Most" is decreasing steadily - that's the fault in your argument there.
As to the rest of that paragraph, did you ever consider that oftentimes having a website that brings this kind of news, however biased, serves just as valuable a function as any other news site? Don't read it if you don't like it. Nobody forces you to read any news at all.
This place has become an anti-RIAA, anti-M$ site. I miss when there was no agenda other than being a cool site for nerds to get news on the latest Stallman lecture, Linux kernel technology, or programmer interview.
You should change your browsing preferences. I see lots of articles on other stuff.
Seems to me that you've limited yourself to reading the IT articles about the RIAA and Microsoft vulnerabilities. There are many other stories posted here. I'll agree that the IT part has been focused on MS, the RIAA, and SCO - but did you ever think that that is because those are the issues that are are very important ones in the IT field nowadays?
SB
Perhaps the slashdot opinion has also shifted to anti-MS for other reasons (just to play Devil's Adv). Perhaps the domination and idiot FUD we see is a "important reason". Consider that MS is the antithesis of Stallman, and Linux (they've declared themselves so, it's not an arguable point)
:) and if you don't like slashdot, go elsewhere.
:) but you're young, and forgiven.
:)
Let's be honest, slashdot is primarily IT oriented - and what are the big issues in IT now?
I'd like to see more good articles in the sciences (particularly astronomy) section - but I can't have those, either, can I? We all have views on what is important, don't we?
Perhaps there are a lot of anti-establishment themes because the "establishment" is making a lot of geeks angry and a lot of geeks with different viewpoints are responding to them?
This is a community site, remember. It has to respond to it's readers. Editors aside, I doubt that community voting on story posting would work, which would be the only viable change in slashdot that I can see would fix what you're complaining about. Not that I entirely disagree with you. Reality sucks
That said; Michael, you're an idiot
But, seriously, if one doesn't like this forum, there are others. This *is* one of the best all-around ones out there now, tho, that I'll agree on.
SB
(well, I blew away any chances of getting mod points by bitching about them a few weeks ago; not that I really care
Sick of people being jealous because gentoo's package management system is better?
Heh. Nope. I just enjoy my uptime and stability and ease of adding applications with 99.9% lack of dependancy hell
SB
I still fail to understand why Microsoft didn't wake up after Melissa.
I didn't get nailed - I didn't use IE/OE - but we were cleaning Melissa off of systems for months on a FT basis; and even 5 years afterward we'd still see Melissa infections once or twice a month (oh, what fun, and Melissa wasn't even the worse - the Klez variants later on kept our phones ringing 24/7 - job security, natch
That was so damned long ago! Y'know, it's been TWO FRICCIN YEARS since they announced the 'security inititiave' and the last year has been (arguably) the WORSE year in virus propogation among MS systems - and it's been XP! and (semi/somewhat/sometimes if it doesn't break it) updated versions of IIS!
Security. MS. Bah. As to SP2, when it's been out and installed on a lot of systems for 6 months, and their fixes are working, I'll believe it. Not until then. Probably not even then, given the number of base vuln's that MS hasn't yet fixed and that have been around for years.
(I've told the 14 customers (side jobs) that I'll be installing SP2 for that I WILL NOT guarantee it'll be vulnerability free. For the most part they understand that. I won't take any contracts where they don't, in writing. I was a wintech for 7 years; read into that what you want. )
MS. Security. Bah. I'll be in the thick this next year - corporate just installed our new WinXP based POS systems, all connected to the internet - firewalled to the hilt (hmph...) - we'll see. Might just have to take a road trip later this year with a 12volt dog shit cooker in the back and a lot of paper bags. Hrrrrummph. Grrrr...
SB
So essentially it's useless as a anti-piracy measure? If a virus can modify your running code, then it will have permission to modify the code on disk, right?
SB
All operating systems are always half-finished...but some of them are a little more polished
SB
I'm confused, here. Are you saying that even for a Windows application that is run as a non-privileged user you have to spend extra effort to make sure the executable code doesn't get overwritten by some malevolent application running under admin privs? What prevents said app (virus, copy protection crack, etc) from replacing the executable on the hard drive? I do very little coding anymore, am I missing something?
:)
Not trolling, but isn't this really an OS design problem? As you point out, it's not really a problem with *nix/BSD systems. Userspace applications simply cannot modify system executables without access.
(I would also like to point out that there is software for *nix/*BSD which is proprietary and is sold for profit. There's nothing about writing software for OSS/GNU/wtvr OSs that automagically requires you to release your code. It's your software, choose your own license.)
SB
(If my question/post is unclear, blame the 12 1/2 hour work day today that turned my brain to worse mush than it usually is
Fairly simple solution that could be used; when you do the install, put the user's home dir on a mounted partition, and set the noexec flag on the partition. That makes it pretty tough for them to simply save and execute a *nix virus (and other stuff too, but for some users it may be necessary
SB
Oh, joy. Automated cars with Clippy. Talk about Road Rage...
SB
I haven't had my coffee yet, but did I just hear you compare IBM to the Nazgul?
McBride pulls Nazgul head out of hat.
Now *there's* a mental image to dwell on for today *grin*
(damned funny post BTW)
SB
Perpendicular?
SB
Geolocation via IP
:)
/. /rant
:) Don't even go there...
:)
:) you'd think that 6 years of MS TS would have taught me better.
:)
The people who run the Grass (geosoft) website seem to do it flawlessly
It's the hang in images-aud access (which leaves Moz wondering - it's not a bandwidth thing, it's a user annoyance) - I hope they fix this - I doubt my boss will appreciate me porting my home rules to the work server but DAMNED if I'll put up with it when I want to read
Trying to decide how to write the proxy rules right now
Of course I could be wrong and its all in preperation for some slashdot/microsoft partnership
Eeeeeuuuuwww. You have a seriously twisted mind
Sorry if this is more-less incoherent, dealing with more windows than I can absorb right now - thanks to fluxbox stability
Dammit, I just wanted to be a carpenter and do computers at home as a hobby - stupid me
ah, hell, I should just walk away and go outside
Cheers, Liq
SB
Bastards...been doing some yakking on IRC since last post... and I think you are right on target.
:)
/. would go this far...
:) My temper's up, and I'm thinking of nuclear options (blame the biz in Fallujah)
I started to notice them at about the same time my posting page started to go a bit screwy.
I noticed that too; I'm not a Java geek, but it's readable
I wonder if slashdot isn't doing, as you said, some demographic ad targeting? If so, they can fuck off, to put it politely...
Timestamping...now that's interesting. But if they wanted to geolocate their customers, they could do it much easier thru IP addresses, could they not?
Regardless, I'm filtering it. I'm sick of it, and sick of being on the defensive all the time (!!) when it comes to websites...it's getting really, really old. Scriptable or not, it just plain sucks when you have to play with your proxy settings. Bastards! Never thought
-- below is for OSDN/Slashdot division --
It would be (NOTICE TO TACO & CO) really, really POLITE if you would notify us of such changes, why you're doing them, etc. HEY TACO/CO -- this site is for the "users", yes? Wanna keep your really serious posters here? Then quit experimenting on us - we don't appreciate it. I am seriously annoyed right now. -> Nope, I don't have to be here, now...do I? Does it really take so much effort to say "Hey, we're going to implement "X" - you don't even have to allow comments!
-- cut rant --
Argh.
Sorry, LiquidCoooled
Tnx. Comments welcome...
SB
Load this story, and what do I see?
Have you Meta Moderated recently? Regular Meta Moderators are more likely to get mod points.
Bah.
SB
You're hooked and you know it.
Oh, fuck...
SB
What do other geeks get up to in their spare time, that they recommend, as something to do out of the house?
A job?
SB