When is the Slashdot community going abandon it's zealotry and recognize these fundamental truths?
1) Apples are only for graphic artists 2) Linux is 20 year old technology 3) Sun has the best interest of the open source community at heart 4) Microsoft is a fair-dealing, inovative company.
<disclaimer> Come on guys. This one should be obvious. Do I really have to do one? Oh, okay. It's sarcasm. There. Disclaimed. </disclaimer>
Well, that'll teach me to post before reading the Slashdot comments. Several other users have produced much better letters than my own. Here it is anyway. Hope I got it right.
This story indicates a fundamental lack of understanding on the part of it's author. The FSF is there to guarantee the integrity of the community. We're not talking about a few college students cobbling together an experimental operating system. We're talking about a vast network of companies and independent developers who've worked hard to make Linux into an enterprise grade product. This effort is made possible only through the openness of the process. Anyone may benefit from it. Large companies, small governments, private citizens, all are free to use Linux and other open source software. The GPL also guarantees that they may customize it to better suit their needs, provided that if they redistribute a derivative work they distribute the code as well. Mr Lyons suggests that companies be allowed to treat GPL'd software like money found in the street. "They're giving it away! Let's slap our logo on it and sell it as our own!" is the attitude that the GPL and the FSF seek to prevent. The programmers who worked hard to produce Linux and other GPL'd software ask only that they be allowed to benefit from you as you benefit from them.
It is also important to note that producing software which interacts with GPL'd software does not require that the GPL be extended to your work. You are free to develop proprietary software which runs on Linux. You are also free to change GPL'd software for your own in-house use without publishing your code. Linksys, however, is selling products based on a modified Linux kernel. The GPL, to which they agreed, requires they they publish the source of their modified kernel.
Mr Lyons also has the audacity to imply that the free software movement is communist in nature which couldn't be further from the truth. Socialism doesn't have exclusive rights to the concept of community. Communism deprives people of choice where open source software ensures it. Companies may chose to join the community, benefit from it's work, and share their contributions. Companies may also chose to use free software covered by a BSD-style license that doesn't require contribution of changes. Finally they may chose to employ commercial software which they may not customize, they may not share, and that require per-use fees. Linksys chose Linux and agreed to the license under which Linux is distributed which requires that if they sell derivative works they must participate in the community that created it.
At least we find out when where vulnerable BEFORE the exploits start rolling out. I'm also yet to hear of Linux bringing the net to it's knees when some kid writes an e-mail virus.
Also, it took me less than a minute to patch my webserver. That's good design.
When I have time I play Discworld (http://discworld.imaginary.com:5678/). It's interesting, actively developed, lots of place to go, plenty of other players, etc. And, of course, it has the added bonus of being based on the Terry Pratchett Discworld universe with lots of quests and treats thrown in.
1. Open a file manager or browser window (maybe to that hampster site or something) and place it to take up about a 5th of the screen, slightly off-center. 2. Take a screenshot 3. Edit away anything that subtracts from your background size (ie. menu bar (Mac), start bar (Win)) 4. Set the picture as the background. 5. Hang out somewhere within earshot
The victim will see a "window that won't close or move" and get pretty frustrated. I never get tired of this one. Just don't stand so close they can hear you giggle.
Sorry, didn't format right. BTW-- IT'S A JOKE. I USE NOTHING BUT LINUX. I'm not a troll. Take a joke. Jeez.
September 19, 2003
Torvalds Announces Linux "A Hoax"
SANTA CLARA, CALIF. -- In a shocking announcement Linus Torvalds, creator of the Linux operating system kernel, revealed that the wildly successful Linux was "an elaborate hoax."
"Alan [Cox] and I just made it up," said Torvalds, "We wanted to have our own OS but didn't know how to make one and neither of us could afford a subscription to MSDN. It's been real hell faking all of those patch submissions for the last twelve years. I'm just glad it's over."
Torvalds went on to describe how Linux has been assembled over the years from stolen code, mostly from SCO's Unixware server operating system. Large portions were also lifted from Novell's NetWare 3 and Microsoft's Altair BASIC.
When asked if he felt any remorse over the affair he replied, "Sorta. But everybody does it. The KDE project is mostly de-compiled Windows code and Eric Raymond copied 'The Cathedral and the Bazaar' verbatim from an MIT enrollment brochure. Most open-source developers are just coders who couldn't hack it in the real world where everybody runs Windows."
Concluding his announcement Torvalds encouraged Linux users to "either purchase a legitimate license from SCO or install GNU HURD."
September 19, 2003
Torvalds Announces Linux "A Hoax"
SANTA CLARA, CALIF. -- In a shocking announcement Linus Torvalds,
creator of the Linux operating system kernel, revealed that the wildly
successful Linux was "an elaborate hoax."
"Alan [Cox] and I just made it up," said Torvalds, "We wanted to have
our own OS but didn't know how to make one and neither of us could
afford a subscription to MSDN. It's been real hell faking all of
those patch submissions for the last twelve years. I'm just glad it's
over."
Torvalds went on to describe how Linux has been assembled over the
years from stolen code, mostly from SCO's Unixware server operating
system. Large portions were also lifted from Novell's NetWare 3 and
Microsoft's Altair BASIC.
When asked if he felt any remorse over the affair he replied, "Sorta.
But everybody does it. The KDE project is mostly de-compiled Windows
code and Eric Raymond copied 'The Cathedral and the Bazaar' verbatim
from an MIT enrollment brochure. Most open-source developers are just
coders who couldn't hack it in the real world where everybody runs
Windows."
Concluding his announcement Torvalds encouraged Linux users to "either
purchase a legitimate license from SCO or install GNU HURD."
Alan Cox declined to comment.
This is something I've been meaning to experiment with myself for communicating with one of my clients with he's out of town.
It seems like it should be possible to use Linphone (www.linphone.org) over an ssh tunnel. ssh compression may also help with the bandwidth constraint.
Not necessarily. A decent letter campaign to our respective attorneys general specifically requesting a RICO suit or at least an investigation ought to do the trick in one or two states. They are, when it comes down to it, politicians.
Slashdot Mirror
When is the Slashdot community going abandon it's zealotry and recognize these fundamental truths?
1) Apples are only for graphic artists
2) Linux is 20 year old technology
3) Sun has the best interest of the open source community at heart
4) Microsoft is a fair-dealing, inovative company.
<disclaimer>
Come on guys. This one should be obvious. Do I really have to do one? Oh, okay. It's sarcasm. There. Disclaimed.
</disclaimer>
Well, that'll teach me to post before reading the Slashdot comments. Several other users have produced much better letters than my own. Here it is anyway. Hope I got it right.
This story indicates a fundamental lack of understanding on the part
of it's author. The FSF is there to guarantee the integrity of the
community. We're not talking about a few college students cobbling
together an experimental operating system. We're talking about a vast
network of companies and independent developers who've worked hard to
make Linux into an enterprise grade product. This effort is made
possible only through the openness of the process. Anyone may benefit
from it. Large companies, small governments, private citizens, all
are free to use Linux and other open source software. The GPL also
guarantees that they may customize it to better suit their needs,
provided that if they redistribute a derivative work they distribute
the code as well. Mr Lyons suggests that companies be allowed to
treat GPL'd software like money found in the street. "They're giving
it away! Let's slap our logo on it and sell it as our own!" is the
attitude that the GPL and the FSF seek to prevent. The programmers
who worked hard to produce Linux and other GPL'd software ask only
that they be allowed to benefit from you as you benefit from them.
It is also important to note that producing software which interacts
with GPL'd software does not require that the GPL be extended to your
work. You are free to develop proprietary software which runs on
Linux. You are also free to change GPL'd software for your own
in-house use without publishing your code. Linksys, however, is
selling products based on a modified Linux kernel. The GPL, to which
they agreed, requires they they publish the source of their modified
kernel.
Mr Lyons also has the audacity to imply that the free software
movement is communist in nature which couldn't be further from the
truth. Socialism doesn't have exclusive rights to the concept of
community. Communism deprives people of choice where open source
software ensures it. Companies may chose to join the community,
benefit from it's work, and share their contributions. Companies may
also chose to use free software covered by a BSD-style license that
doesn't require contribution of changes. Finally they may chose to
employ commercial software which they may not customize, they may not
share, and that require per-use fees. Linksys chose Linux and agreed
to the license under which Linux is distributed which requires that if
they sell derivative works they must participate in the community that
created it.
I've just worked it out, I think (still learning).
Tia patro estis paviana postaj^o kaj tia patrino grandparte pasigis fojon al muroj kun maristoj.
Rimmer: Is it? Well what's that one about your father was a baboon's rump and your mother spent most of her time up against walls with sailors?
Holly: I'm not telling you.
Programmers will love this language. It's the Python of spoken languages!
I thought I typed in slashdot.org not theonion.com. Whoops.
take comfort:r il/
h /index.h tm
http://www.media.mit.edu/wearables/mith
Then look for ways to consolodate:
PIM Watch: http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/onhand-review.html
MP3 Watch:
http://www.geek.com/hwswrev/conel/mp3watc
Sad to say the PIM is pretty basic and the MP3 watch is far from HD driven. Somebody else mentioned the E-vest so I didn't post it here.
Lots of stuff can be found at http://www.the-gadgeteer.com, they do great reviews.
I think you mean that Microsoft announces a hole right after it posts a patch.
At least we find out when where vulnerable BEFORE the exploits start rolling out. I'm also yet to hear of Linux bringing the net to it's knees when some kid writes an e-mail virus.
Also, it took me less than a minute to patch my webserver. That's good design.
Everyone seems to forget three simple rules about television:
Joe Viewer is NOT the actors's customer, the producer is.
Joe Viewer is NOT the producer's customer, the network is.
Joe Viewer is NOT the network's customer, Pepsi is.
When I have time I play Discworld (http://discworld.imaginary.com:5678/). It's interesting, actively developed, lots of place to go, plenty of other players, etc. And, of course, it has the added bonus of being based on the Terry Pratchett Discworld universe with lots of quests and treats thrown in.
I didn't see anybody post this yet so here goes:
1. Open a file manager or browser window (maybe to that hampster site or something) and place it to take up about a 5th of the screen, slightly off-center.
2. Take a screenshot
3. Edit away anything that subtracts from your background size (ie. menu bar (Mac), start bar (Win))
4. Set the picture as the background.
5. Hang out somewhere within earshot
The victim will see a "window that won't close or move" and get pretty frustrated. I never get tired of this one. Just don't stand so close they can hear you giggle.
Sorry, didn't format right. BTW-- IT'S A JOKE. I USE NOTHING BUT LINUX. I'm not a troll. Take a joke. Jeez.
September 19, 2003
Torvalds Announces Linux "A Hoax"
SANTA CLARA, CALIF. -- In a shocking announcement Linus Torvalds,
creator of the Linux operating system kernel, revealed that the wildly
successful Linux was "an elaborate hoax."
"Alan [Cox] and I just made it up," said Torvalds, "We wanted to have
our own OS but didn't know how to make one and neither of us could
afford a subscription to MSDN. It's been real hell faking all of
those patch submissions for the last twelve years. I'm just glad it's
over."
Torvalds went on to describe how Linux has been assembled over the
years from stolen code, mostly from SCO's Unixware server operating
system. Large portions were also lifted from Novell's NetWare 3 and
Microsoft's Altair BASIC.
When asked if he felt any remorse over the affair he replied, "Sorta.
But everybody does it. The KDE project is mostly de-compiled Windows
code and Eric Raymond copied 'The Cathedral and the Bazaar' verbatim
from an MIT enrollment brochure. Most open-source developers are just
coders who couldn't hack it in the real world where everybody runs
Windows."
Concluding his announcement Torvalds encouraged Linux users to "either
purchase a legitimate license from SCO or install GNU HURD."
Alan Cox declined to comment.
September 19, 2003 Torvalds Announces Linux "A Hoax" SANTA CLARA, CALIF. -- In a shocking announcement Linus Torvalds, creator of the Linux operating system kernel, revealed that the wildly successful Linux was "an elaborate hoax." "Alan [Cox] and I just made it up," said Torvalds, "We wanted to have our own OS but didn't know how to make one and neither of us could afford a subscription to MSDN. It's been real hell faking all of those patch submissions for the last twelve years. I'm just glad it's over." Torvalds went on to describe how Linux has been assembled over the years from stolen code, mostly from SCO's Unixware server operating system. Large portions were also lifted from Novell's NetWare 3 and Microsoft's Altair BASIC. When asked if he felt any remorse over the affair he replied, "Sorta. But everybody does it. The KDE project is mostly de-compiled Windows code and Eric Raymond copied 'The Cathedral and the Bazaar' verbatim from an MIT enrollment brochure. Most open-source developers are just coders who couldn't hack it in the real world where everybody runs Windows." Concluding his announcement Torvalds encouraged Linux users to "either purchase a legitimate license from SCO or install GNU HURD." Alan Cox declined to comment.
This is something I've been meaning to experiment with myself for communicating with one of my clients with he's out of town.
It seems like it should be possible to use Linphone (www.linphone.org) over an ssh tunnel. ssh compression may also help with the bandwidth constraint.
Not necessarily. A decent letter campaign to our respective attorneys general specifically requesting a RICO suit or at least an investigation ought to do the trick in one or two states. They are, when it comes down to it, politicians.
One step closer.
Have you every gotten into trouble for open distain for crazed fans (like the Saturday Night Live convention skit)?