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User: Call+Me+Black+Cloud

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Comments · 1,156

  1. Unfriendly? on How To Make Dual Booting A (Bigger) Pain · · Score: 1

    When it's something that's more convenient for 99% of your customers it's not unfriendly. Don't break out your foil hats yet...it's not malice...

  2. Re:Simply stated on RIAA Obtains Subpoenas Against File Swappers · · Score: 1

    You can't legally aquire an illegally gained item to replace a legally owned item you lost or broke.

    It's not quite the same. I'm entitled to copies of music, video, software that I've purchased. I still have the original item. Why should it matter if I make a copy when I buy the original or get it from someone else? Does the law make a distinction about where the backup comes from?

  3. I don't get it... on RIAA Obtains Subpoenas Against File Swappers · · Score: 1


    First of all, why is illegal to make songs available for download? There are legitimate reasons copyrighted material could be made available for download.

    Second, isn't it legal for me to download music if I already own it? For example, I have quite a few record albums. Let's say I get a hankering for ELO's Time. I have it on vinyl but I don't have a record player. Can't I seek out and download cuts from that album legally?

    It follows (to me) that if there are legitimate reasons to download then there are legitimate reasons to share, therefore the onus is on the downloader to act appropriately. RIAA should go after those who are downloading illegally (at least within the borders of the US).

  4. A Lego first! on The Star Wars Alphabet Project · · Score: 3, Funny

    This is the first Lego-related article that hasn't immediately been slashdotted. Apparently the Lego community has learned not to host web sites on servers made of Legos...

  5. Re:weblogs have coverage? on LGPL is Viral for Java · · Score: 1

    Too bad you're anonymous. I'd make you a friend for that post.

  6. Re:What major changes? on Browser Wars II: The Saga Continues · · Score: 1

    Try XP then. It's never crashed on me and I tax it pretty hard, doing development work while listening to MP3s, browsing, and downloading Girls Gone Wild tapes from Kazaa :)

  7. Re:What major changes? on Browser Wars II: The Saga Continues · · Score: 1

    Faster is only meaningful if the speed difference improves user experience. Your second link states (about Opera and IE speed), "Both perform about the same once loaded." I would assume that means that any speed difference is small enough so the user experience is not impacted.

    The authors are somewhat ill-informed, though, regarding Java. "Microsoft has gone to extremes to undermine the Java standard." That's not true when it comes to the browser. While Microsoft did add their own classes to the Java runtime included with IE that in no way impacts the performance of Java in the browser. Attempts by MS to "undermine" Java are apparent to developers, not IE users.

  8. Re:What major changes? on Browser Wars II: The Saga Continues · · Score: 1

    OS-X fits your declaration...

    When I was given a new desktop computer at work I lobbied for an OS X box but was turned down, even though 1 of the sysadmins and 1 of the company's founders uses OS X.

    Popup blocking I bring to the browser via a proxy (Proxomitron), and that's how I prefer it. It's not a feature if it's not the preferred solution. Tabbed browsing is a mixed blessing. Sometimes it's useful, such as long browse-only sessions, but a lot of times I prefer separate browser instances.

  9. Always with the drama... on The Big Kerplop · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    ...there's a danger that kids might start imitating the novels. The bigger danger, though, may come if they don't.

    I checked the faq and there's no requirement to add a dramatic line to every submission. Let us read the articles and decide what drama should be there, if any. Another example, from today's posting Browser Wars 2: ...events have started happening at a breathtaking pace. Yes, and it was also a dark and stormy night. A shot rang out! etc etc.

  10. Re:What major changes? on Browser Wars II: The Saga Continues · · Score: 3, Insightful

    IE is still the dominant browser, because Windows is the dominant desktop platform

    That's part of it, but IE is also the better browser. I've tried the assorted varieties of browsers and IE comes out on top for speed and usability. Opera is a close 2nd though, but it's not worth paying for (given that I use an ad-blocking proxy I don't want an ad built into my browser so the free version is out). IE passed NN/Mozilla/etc in quality around IE 3 which was...1997?

    You are correct, though, that people don't want to change what comes with their systems. For most people the computer is an appliance. They want to turn it on and have it work. Heck, I'm a professional developer and I want that too...I'd rather have something that lets me focus on productivity (or fun). I'm not interested in dealing with builds and releases or even making a statement.

    I'm all for a desktop change...to Java :)

  11. Missing text from the posting on USS Ronald Reagan Commissioning Tomorrow · · Score: 0, Offtopic


    Finally, though Microsoft is not mentioned, people might start to understand what a monoculture of poor quality software enables.

    There, now it's a real slashdot article.

  12. Twitter lives up to his name on NYT Reports Porn Spam Hijacking Network · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    twitter writes ...Finally, though Microsoft is not mentioned, people might start to understand what a monoculture of poor quality software enables.

    Twit.

  13. Don't bother with formatting either... on NYT Reports Porn Spam Hijacking Network · · Score: 1

    Thanks for the large block of text. Perhaps some might find it worthwhile to register for free in exchange for viewing a formatted version of the article. And get this...you don't even have to use your real name to register! They'll never know!

  14. Re:NYT registration site stories should be filtere on NYT Reports Porn Spam Hijacking Network · · Score: 1

    Use your built-in filter - your brain. If you see "NYT" then skip the story. Not everyone is averse to filling out a free registration form (using real or imagined data) in exchange for content.

  15. So what's left? on Patent Granted for Ethical AI · · Score: 1

    I guess that leaves unethical AI to the open source community.

  16. Depends on what "quick and dirty" means... on "Quick 'n Dirty" vs. "Correct and Proper"? · · Score: 1


    If it means borrowing some SCO code, perhaps you should do it nice and proper.

  17. They're coming to the stores on Wal-Mart Cancels RFID Trial · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Complain and fret all you want but that's the way it is. The benefits are too great for retailers to ignore:

    - easy to inventory...no more midnight teams counting stock and taping notes to the shelves
    - no more scanning trouble (dirty scan window or munged barcode)
    - meta information can help keep stock fresh...embed an expiration date and have the product tell you when it's expired
    - reduce loss from fraudulent returns - stores could tell if a product was purchased at that chain.

    Those are just a few simple examples of the usefulness of tags. I do have some questions though...

    - What's the range of scanners? What if I buy a candy bar in one store, stick it in my pocket, then go to another store. Will the scanner pick up what's in my pocket?
    - People seem to be worried about being tracked. What will washing do to the tags?

    I'm not sure why this is a "rights" issue. Is there a right to privacy written somewhere?

  18. Elemental Security on Guido van Rossum Leaves Zope.com · · Score: 2, Funny

    Great! I've been hoarding oxygen and have become increasingly concerned that my neighbors may try to liberate it. Damn free radicals.

  19. Perfect design...maybe, but the software? on Review Of Yopy 3700 Linux PDA · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Also from that same review:

    Okay, now let's talk about the areas for improvement. Once I mastered the built in software, I was pretty much stuck. There are a few games included but that's about it. Until Yopy gets some Linux developers to help them out, there is very little software available. I also wasn't able to use my wireless card because of the lack of drivers. As I mentioned earlier, the lack of software isn't strictly a Yopy issue. Linux Operating systems for PDAs will only be as strong as the development community behind it. That brings up the next issue: at this point the Yopy is only designed to sync with the Windows Operating System.

    So to sum up:

    Very little software available

    Needs drivers

    Only syncs with Windows

    So what is the company hoping for?

    1. Linux geeks buy Yopy because it runs Linux
    2. Said geeks churn out software and drivers for it, because that's how it works in the open source world
    3. Sales increase because the Yopy is now attractive to the masses
    4. Profit!!!
    Why would the average PDA user purchase this instead of a Palm or Windows PDA? What can the Yopy do that existing systems can't? I am interested to see how this turns out...
  20. Let's slashdot Iceland! on Random Humor · · Score: 1


    Have at it

    ...I've already finished my download.

  21. Re:For those of us without bit torrent on Random Humor · · Score: 1


    Yes, that will convince the company I work for to remove the firewall. Thank you for your insightful comment.

  22. It all makes sense now on Space Blog · · Score: 5, Funny

    When Kirk would start out with "Captain's log..." he was really making an entry into his weblog. Man, I'd love to see the feedback on that thing:

    Captain's log, stardate 1234: Banged the green chick again today - what a wild one!

    Feedback:

    SpacemanSpiff: Dude! What are you drinking, Romulan Ale? Green means 1 of two things: not ripe or spoiled and either way that's one place you don't want to go where no man has gone before...

  23. An excerpt on Open Source Project Management Lessons · · Score: 5, Funny

    June 14, 2003

    Dear diary,

    I have decided to record my thoughts on managing the project "peek-a-booty". The most important lesson I've learned is not to use booty in a project name!

    Sure, it was funny two years ago after a few beers, but I swear the next person that makes a "booty" joke will die. I'm serious. "Dude, is it for peeking up skirts?" "Hey, if you integrate telephony you can call it 'peek-a-booty-call'"

    In other news, I'm starting a new project to manipulate network traffic, this time using Java. I'm thinking of calling it 'jAck Off'. I like the sound of that. It will be good to get that whole 'booty' thing behind me...

  24. Re:Portable? on Toshiba Introduces A 17"-Screen Laptop · · Score: 1


    I won't post AC and I agree with him. I was getting ready to write the same thing when I saw his post. Get your girly arms to the gym, boy!

  25. I like Spam on Hormel Sues Over SpamArrest Name · · Score: 1


    ...the meat product, that is. It's yummy, and no, I'm not in Hawaii. Slice it up and fry it, serve it with eggs and potatoes. Mmm mmm good!

    I just thought I'd let you know.