I was working as a grad student (back in the day) for a Computer Science department for a major University. During that time, some friends and I created a couple of massively multiplayer web browser games... and we made quite a bit of money doing it. We had formed our own company, but we did (initially) do a lot of the work on campus... either in public computer labs or in dorm rooms. We eventually bought our own headquarters, and completed our first game (and created all of our second game) there. We didn't make a penny while we were working on it at the University.
So... my question to all of the slashdot community would be... did the University have rights to it?
I would say "not at all".
My grad work was COMPLETELY unrelated to the work I was doing for our company, and the other partners (except 1) were all undergrads w/o scholarships. The other grad student (who was my first CS instructor.. which was ironic since I was the CEO of the company) was also doing grad work completely unrelated to our game.
My point is... MANY very creative and inovative ideas and products are produced by people that need to either finish their education or make some sort of income while they work on these projects. If rules are put in place that prevent people from enjoying the fruits of their labor, then innovation will drastically slow down.
Provided that the IP you are working on isn't closely related to what your employer is paying you to do... and provided you are using your own resources (or resources that anyone would have made available to them), then I just don't see how it would be right for someone else to take away your rights to your IP.
As our nation's schools "cry poor", this school district has the NERVE to waste money on a system like this?
A classic case of TERRIBLE administrators, and people not wanting to be accountable.
Get this... we PAY teachers, administrators and bus drivers to keep track of the kids. Why do we even need this?
The only think this school is teaching with this system is only good for criminals... and that is how to be finger printed. Is that the kind of future we want for our kids???
Does this mean that they are going to offically lower my I.Q.??? - or are they going to just 86 me?
I mean, I know I'm getting older, and I feel more and more stupid every day (mainly from reading the rants of trolls - or reading really dry and bad humor, like this), but do they really have to take this kind of extreme measure?
(* end of bad joke *)
I don't know how many of you have a Master's or PhD in Computer Science, but the air traffic control problem is a NP-hard problem. Basically, this means that, in high population areas where you would have thousands of cars flying in all directions, there isn't a computer system in the world that could control all of those cars. Yes, there are solutions that would allow for quite a few cars at one time (SIMD machines with multi-dimensional memory, for example), but I do not beleive that there is a solution available that could be implemented without an absolutely insane cost that would accompany it. There are just too many varialbles... and the more cars you add, the more likely that the system will not be able to handle the load, and you will suddenly have hundreds of mid-air collisions...
The bottom line: Flying cars for general public use is, as someone before me stated, a "scifi pipe dream".
Sorry folks, didn't mean to rain on your parade, but flying cars will NOT happen anytime soon.
Having everyone flying around in cars, computer driven or not, is a frightening idea!! People today can not handle two dimensions, how can we expect them to handle three dimensions??
For more information on NP-hard problems and the air traffic control problem, please consult google:)
For everyone out there that doesn't understand good security, I have found something that people tend to relate to...
Passwords are like toothbrushes:
Don't share
Change yours regularly
Just about everyone can relate to this - and if the sys admin hangs up a sign saying this in her/his office, then people tend to remember this (that is for those unfortunate souls that work somewhere where the boss thinks it is too much of a pain to require people to change their password every 30 to 90 days)
For $100 million, they better do better than just a pass around the moon!
For example, the Russians on board had better be some REALLY hot Russian babes (like those mail order brides they are always advertising)!
For $100 million, I'd want to be the first guy to have a three way in Space! (with 2 hot women - of course). I also want the exclusive rights to reproduce and sell the video:)
For that matter, would I be the first guy to have sex in Space?
I mean, seriously, if they're not landing on the moon, they had better give me something to do for two weeks. Two weeks in Space would get boring after the first few days if I had nothing to look forward to other than flying around the moon and (hopefully) landing (in one piece). They'd have to provide some serious entertainment for me to fork over that kind of cash... (that is, if I had it).
I have terrible alergies - and all that cosmic dust is sure to have a negative impact on my life style - so I'm suing for nasal damages - in the amount of $300 million dollars as well!
Alergy sufferers - unite!
Instead of paying $36 million for one more season, those fans should use that money and buy all of the Stargate SG-1 seasons on DVD, watch tem, and then follow the current series on TV.
It is much cheaper - the plot line is MUCH more interesting, and the special effects are better as well.
In fact, the Stargate series now has all sorts of sweet ships, so they won't have to give up on the idea of flying around in space - they'd only have to give up on the concept of anti-matter and start believing in crystals and naquada!!!
Sci-Fi has advanced beyond Star Trek with series such as Stargate and BSG - it's time for everyone to move on!!!!
Well - since they mentioned the cost of this little project (see the title of this post), then I do have a suggestion for them.
Since Gooooogle ads only pays based on clicks, not on page views, I would highly suggest to them that they place their Google ad on the TOP of their web page as well as the bottom - maybe even place a couple in the middle!!:)
Yes - they are not bean counters:)
Of course, neither am I - but I do run a successful web business. I let other people do the bean counting for me:)
(not trolling - just hopefully offering some advice that will allow them to defray their costs a slightly more timely fashion)
... the series has quickly become SCI FI's highest-rated original series. No news on when a UK premeire might occur, but with Battlestar Gallactica ranking number 9 out of the top ten most popular TV program downloads worldwide...
I'm not sure how the portion of this comment that states that BSG has become SCI FI's highest-rated original series can be true...
Stargate Atlantis - #2 most downloaded show on the net
Stargate SG-1 - #5 most downloaded show on the net...
Aren't both of these original series be SCI-FI? SCI-FI claims they are.... and they seem to be just a bit higher on the list:)
Not trolling - just questioning the poster's facts....
A recharge time of 2 mins is about the same time it might take me to refill my car, So this makes it quite viable as an alternative 'fuel'.... However, the cables from the 'pump' would have to be hugely thick to carry that sort of power.
Anakin gets even with Count Dooku - and cuts off BOTH of his hands - before cutting his head off
Obi-Won Kenobi kills the Jedi hunter, General Grievous - who can use three or more light sabers at one time, with the General's own blasters. The General's light sabers are trophies from Jedi he has slain in the past.
Anakin turns on Mace Windu when Mace goes to face Palpatine/The Emperor. Mace dies by falling out of a window after the Emperor fries him with lightning.
Yoda gets pwned by the Emperor
Qui-Gon Jin comes back as a ghost and explains the true nature of the force to Yoda after he loses his fight with the Emperor.
Anakin and Obi-Won fight each other with blue light sabers.
Obi-won chops off Anakin's other real hand and both of his legs.
Step 1) Go to:
https://www.uploadmyfile.com (no this link doesn't work, but you could create any web page to do this from)
Step 2) Copy information (higlight desired info, then press CTRL+c)
Step 3) Paste info into text area of secure web page (CTRL+v)
Step 4) Press "Subbit" button.
Bye-bye data!
(Yes, I know that this could be stopped at the network level... this is for entertainment purposes only! - I'm not trolling, just laughing)
or, better yet....
Turn off PC
Open case during time when no one else is in the office
Remove CD drive
Replace CD drive with CD burner
Turn PC back on
Bring up the "top secret" information
Burn info onto CD
Take data CD home with you, (or if you're feeling really sausy, mail it to your PO Box using the company mail service).
Post the top secret data on the internet later that night under the alias "The Evil Elmo".
Begin evil laugh and little smirk.
OR
If your IT dept isn't THAT good, use one of the hundreds of windows exploits (for extra credit, make your own exploit), become the administrator, enable USB keys, steal the data, profit!, then return the settings back to the "secure" setting.
Let's face it, if you want to steal data, have no morals, have no loyalty, if you hate your job (or boss), and if you have ANY techincal no how, the data is as good as gone!
Now I'm going to have to find a motherboard that I could use to play Doom3 on that supported 2 video cards....
(one for video, one for sound):)
These innovations are getting pricey!!!:)
Portable Naquada Reactors
on
Port-A-Nuke
·
· Score: 2
Looks like the government has been watching Stargate SG-1!!!
(except we don't have naquada yet, so we're forced to use nuclear until we figure out how to use the stargate)
:)
Reasons why this won't happen in the U.S.
on
China Goes Nuclear
·
· Score: 1
Don't get me wrong - I'm all for nuclear power, but there are a couple of basic reasons why this, unfortunately, will never happen in the U.S.
The fossil fuel comapnies stand too much to lose, meaning that they would spend billions lobbying to prevent these reactors from being built in fear of losing too much of their profits.
Fear. As mentioned in an earlier post, no one wants this "in their backyard". People hear the word "nuclear", and they all panic before they understand that pebble bed reactors are very safe.
Terrorists. Unfortunately, a large number of nuclear reactors could provide terrorists with the "right kind of buildings" to fly planes into (or blow up with some other creative manner).
Enviornmentalists. They are rightfully concerned about how we're going to dispose of the waste. This problem is probably the easiest to solve (outer space looks like a great place for dumping - maybe the moon or the sun or a useless planet like venus or mercury)
I'm sure that there are other reasons that I have not mentioned here, but for just for the reasons I listed, I do not see too many more nuclear reactors being built in the U.S. in the near future. Although I do not support China's form of government, this is where they have a huge advantage over the U.S., in that they can do what is best for the majority without dealing with all of the problems of U.S. polotics.
I've gone Jihad electronicaly before... just click the "Jihad" button at the priest's temple when you've reached the Iron Age... then your peasants have +10 attack, and can melt down enemy towers like they're butter!!!
This was, by far, one of the cheesiest (legitimate) tactics I ever used in that game! I've won a game with nothing more than Jihad peasants!!! I'd build dozens of town centers (terrorist training facilities), and bumb rush the enemy town, burning down all of their buildings with nothing more than peasants!!!
JIHAD!!!!
*Please ignore this if you haven't played Age of Empires*
Slashdot Mirror
I was working as a grad student (back in the day) for a Computer Science department for a major University. During that time, some friends and I created a couple of massively multiplayer web browser games ... and we made quite a bit of money doing it. We had formed our own company, but we did (initially) do a lot of the work on campus ... either in public computer labs or in dorm rooms. We eventually bought our own headquarters, and completed our first game (and created all of our second game) there. We didn't make a penny while we were working on it at the University.
So ... my question to all of the slashdot community would be ... did the University have rights to it?
I would say "not at all".
My grad work was COMPLETELY unrelated to the work I was doing for our company, and the other partners (except 1) were all undergrads w/o scholarships. The other grad student (who was my first CS instructor .. which was ironic since I was the CEO of the company) was also doing grad work completely unrelated to our game.
My point is ... MANY very creative and inovative ideas and products are produced by people that need to either finish their education or make some sort of income while they work on these projects. If rules are put in place that prevent people from enjoying the fruits of their labor, then innovation will drastically slow down.
Provided that the IP you are working on isn't closely related to what your employer is paying you to do ... and provided you are using your own resources (or resources that anyone would have made available to them), then I just don't see how it would be right for someone else to take away your rights to your IP.
As our nation's schools "cry poor", this school district has the NERVE to waste money on a system like this? A classic case of TERRIBLE administrators, and people not wanting to be accountable. Get this ... we PAY teachers, administrators and bus drivers to keep track of the kids. Why do we even need this?
The only think this school is teaching with this system is only good for criminals ... and that is how to be finger printed. Is that the kind of future we want for our kids???
Does this mean that they are going to offically lower my I.Q.??? - or are they going to just 86 me? I mean, I know I'm getting older, and I feel more and more stupid every day (mainly from reading the rants of trolls - or reading really dry and bad humor, like this), but do they really have to take this kind of extreme measure? (* end of bad joke *)
I don't know how many of you have a Master's or PhD in Computer Science, but the air traffic control problem is a NP-hard problem. Basically, this means that, in high population areas where you would have thousands of cars flying in all directions, there isn't a computer system in the world that could control all of those cars. Yes, there are solutions that would allow for quite a few cars at one time (SIMD machines with multi-dimensional memory, for example), but I do not beleive that there is a solution available that could be implemented without an absolutely insane cost that would accompany it. There are just too many varialbles ... and the more cars you add, the more likely that the system will not be able to handle the load, and you will suddenly have hundreds of mid-air collisions ...
:)
The bottom line: Flying cars for general public use is, as someone before me stated, a "scifi pipe dream".
Sorry folks, didn't mean to rain on your parade, but flying cars will NOT happen anytime soon.
Having everyone flying around in cars, computer driven or not, is a frightening idea!! People today can not handle two dimensions, how can we expect them to handle three dimensions??
For more information on NP-hard problems and the air traffic control problem, please consult google
I can't wait!!
:)
Instead of "No Parking" signs everywhere, you'll see "NO LANDING" everywhere, including on the top of every building!!
Where will the aliens park?
Passwords are like toothbrushes:
Don't share
Change yours regularly
:)
Just about everyone can relate to this - and if the sys admin hangs up a sign saying this in her/his office, then people tend to remember this (that is for those unfortunate souls that work somewhere where the boss thinks it is too much of a pain to require people to change their password every 30 to 90 days)
You're welcome
Clicky
For $100 million, they better do better than just a pass around the moon!
:)
... (that is, if I had it).
For example, the Russians on board had better be some REALLY hot Russian babes (like those mail order brides they are always advertising)!
For $100 million, I'd want to be the first guy to have a three way in Space! (with 2 hot women - of course). I also want the exclusive rights to reproduce and sell the video
For that matter, would I be the first guy to have sex in Space?
I mean, seriously, if they're not landing on the moon, they had better give me something to do for two weeks. Two weeks in Space would get boring after the first few days if I had nothing to look forward to other than flying around the moon and (hopefully) landing (in one piece). They'd have to provide some serious entertainment for me to fork over that kind of cash
I have terrible alergies - and all that cosmic dust is sure to have a negative impact on my life style - so I'm suing for nasal damages - in the amount of $300 million dollars as well! Alergy sufferers - unite!
Forget Star Trek - it has been over exposed!!
Instead of paying $36 million for one more season, those fans should use that money and buy all of the Stargate SG-1 seasons on DVD, watch tem, and then follow the current series on TV.
It is much cheaper - the plot line is MUCH more interesting, and the special effects are better as well.
In fact, the Stargate series now has all sorts of sweet ships, so they won't have to give up on the idea of flying around in space - they'd only have to give up on the concept of anti-matter and start believing in crystals and naquada!!!
Sci-Fi has advanced beyond Star Trek with series such as Stargate and BSG - it's time for everyone to move on!!!!
This isn't you're father's Sci-Fi!!!
Well - since they mentioned the cost of this little project (see the title of this post), then I do have a suggestion for them.
:)
:)
:)
Since Gooooogle ads only pays based on clicks, not on page views, I would highly suggest to them that they place their Google ad on the TOP of their web page as well as the bottom - maybe even place a couple in the middle!!
Yes - they are not bean counters
Of course, neither am I - but I do run a successful web business. I let other people do the bean counting for me
(not trolling - just hopefully offering some advice that will allow them to defray their costs a slightly more timely fashion)
I'm not sure how the portion of this comment that states that BSG has become SCI FI's highest-rated original series can be true
Stargate Atlantis - #2 most downloaded show on the net
Stargate SG-1 - #5 most downloaded show on the net
Aren't both of these original series be SCI-FI? SCI-FI claims they are
Not trolling - just questioning the poster's facts
Aren't cell phones doing enough damage already?
We're all going to die from caner before 40!!!
Anakin gets even with Count Dooku - and cuts off BOTH of his hands - before cutting his head off
Obi-Won Kenobi kills the Jedi hunter, General Grievous - who can use three or more light sabers at one time, with the General's own blasters. The General's light sabers are trophies from Jedi he has slain in the past.
Anakin turns on Mace Windu when Mace goes to face Palpatine/The Emperor. Mace dies by falling out of a window after the Emperor fries him with lightning.
Yoda gets pwned by the Emperor
Qui-Gon Jin comes back as a ghost and explains the true nature of the force to Yoda after he loses his fight with the Emperor.
Anakin and Obi-Won fight each other with blue light sabers.
Obi-won chops off Anakin's other real hand and both of his legs.
Now there is some news about RotS!
MOD UP PARENT!
:)
That is a great splash page - I'd never guess why they threw it out!?!?!?
ohh - but maybe we should also first figure out that space-time thingy
This comment really needs to be modded up!
...
Great point!
Spaceballs -1 : The Phantom Cracker Jack Box
Lonestar: I lost the ring!
Yogurt: Forget the ring. The ring is popcus - I found it in a cracker jack box.
He never said tht he doesn't believe in pre-quals
Here it comes: Spaceballs -1 (or Spaceballs 0, depending on how you'd like to count) - A new flavor (of yogurt)
Step 1) Go to:
https://www.uploadmyfile.com (no this link doesn't work, but you could create any web page to do this from)
Step 2) Copy information (higlight desired info, then press CTRL+c)
Step 3) Paste info into text area of secure web page (CTRL+v)
Step 4) Press "Subbit" button.
Bye-bye data!
(Yes, I know that this could be stopped at the network level
OR
If your IT dept isn't THAT good, use one of the hundreds of windows exploits (for extra credit, make your own exploit), become the administrator, enable USB keys, steal the data, profit!, then return the settings back to the "secure" setting.
Let's face it, if you want to steal data, have no morals, have no loyalty, if you hate your job (or boss), and if you have ANY techincal no how, the data is as good as gone!
Silly MicroSofties!!!
Now I'm going to have to find a motherboard that I could use to play Doom3 on that supported 2 video cards
(one for video, one for sound)
These innovations are getting pricey!!!
Looks like the government has been watching Stargate SG-1!!!
(except we don't have naquada yet, so we're forced to use nuclear until we figure out how to use the stargate)
I'm sure that there are other reasons that I have not mentioned here, but for just for the reasons I listed, I do not see too many more nuclear reactors being built in the U.S. in the near future. Although I do not support China's form of government, this is where they have a huge advantage over the U.S., in that they can do what is best for the majority without dealing with all of the problems of U.S. polotics.
I put my own URL on /., and my site diesn't get any where NEAR the DDoS traffic that I'd like :)
...
Figures
I want traffic and it doesn't work!!!!
I've gone Jihad electronicaly before
This was, by far, one of the cheesiest (legitimate) tactics I ever used in that game! I've won a game with nothing more than Jihad peasants!!! I'd build dozens of town centers (terrorist training facilities), and bumb rush the enemy town, burning down all of their buildings with nothing more than peasants!!!
JIHAD!!!!
*Please ignore this if you haven't played Age of Empires*