I expect that to change soon. I read this story earlier today about how LinSpire is making the CNR software and warehouse available to other distros. Finally, Linux might have an easy to understand, easy to use software installer/uninstaller. This is going to go a long way to ease peoples fears about buying a Linux PC and might just help jumpstart the consumer market towards the OS. If that happens, and if more software makers distribute their software via CNR, you might just start to see Walmart sell Linux software.
Apparently, the submitter and editor don't truly realize what "open source" is. Selling a PC without anything on it isn't open source; it's selling a computer with nothing on it. This isn't a move to support open source, it's a move to save money by not having to pay the MS tax.
For the past year and a half, I've been straggling along with my tiny Sony Network Walkman 1GB MP3 player and have, for the most part, been pretty satisfied. But, be it due to greed, lust, my desire to keep up with the Jones', whatever, I finally decided that I simply could not live another day without a big, study device that could also play video.
So over the past two months I've played with both the Apple iPod Video and the Microsoft Zune and was very impressed with both of them. Both had good sound, were easy to use, and came with more than enough storage for my needs. In the end, I chose the Zune over the iPod and am very happy with my decision.
I love the Zune's interface. It's easy to use, has a pretty good FM radio, and has great audio and video playback. What really made the decision for me was the fact that the Zune has wireless built right into the device and has a good speed processor. This really opens up the device to all sorts of future possibilities, even if they don't come from Microsoft.
Now, though I love my Zune, I can't honestly say there weren't some frustrations or things I'd like to see that simply aren't:
1: I'd like to see the Zune open to wireless Internet. Let me find a hot spot, connect to the marketplace and purchase and download music/video directly to my device. I'd also love the ability to stream content directly from the net to my device.
2: Bluetooth support. I'd love the opportunity to be able to get content to my device via a quick, easy Bluetooth connection to my PC. Sometimes, I don't want to have to find the USB cable and go through all the problems of plugging it in and doing a sync.
3: Record from FM or external mic. Wouldn't it be fantastic to be at a lecture and simply use your Zune to record everything? 30GB is more than enough to accommodate whole semesters of classes, multiple hours of lectures, and all sorts of other audio. And it's be very cool to be able to grab content directly off of FM even though the quality would suck.
4: More accessories! Of course, this problem might be fixed once it's been out a while.
All-in-all, my Zune experience has been positive. The only problem I've run into was with installing the software. My WinXP wasn't fully patched so the software refused to install. I had to spend 3 hours searching the Internet for a solution (which in the end was NOT provided by the ZUNE.NET site) before I could even install my player. Additionally, I didn't like how the software searched my computer and automatically imported all of my media to the device without asking forcing me to have to go through deleted what I didn't want.
Would I recommend the Zune to a friend over iPod? Yes. I think this is one product that Microsoft has done very right and, while I don't like the DRM on the device, I've been told it's less restrictive than the iPod's.
The Zune has possibilities IMHO and I'm willing to give it the try it deserves. I can't imagine anything but loving it but I suppose we shall see.
when the convicted perp is a Democrat stealing national security documents, it is not worthy of a story!
Ahh but you have to understand: Sandy Burger accidentally stuck those pages in his socks and underwear. In fact, he wasn't even aware they were there! The hypocrisy on the left is amazing.
- Anthony
Visit My Blog
The scientiest at the NIST are right: voting machines *are* indeed impossible to secure. But it's not because of some inherent technical limitation or issue. It's because there is absolutely no way to truely verify the integrity of the machine at its most basic levels: operating system and voting software. There's no way to ensure that either has not been tampered with since both of these two critical pieces of the infrastructure are usually closed source.
Now, while I'm a fan of open source, I can definitely see situations where it doesn't really matter (from a security standpoint) whether you use a closed or open system. This is not one of them. If a complete solution would be developed centered around a completely open system it would nearly totally eliminate the integrity issues surrounding eVoting. And as for software reliability issues like making sure it doesn't crash, all the votes are counted and appropriated correctly, ect, that's really *not* an issue. Reliable and bug free software can be designed - think space shuttle, airplane guidance systems, etc. If these systems can be bug-free (or nearly so) then certainly a voting system (something that counts and catalogs) can be.
The government needs to stop wasting money with do-nothing firms with questionable integrity (I'm looking at YOU Diebold) and look towards a solution with nothing to hide. An open solution.
Personally, I think that Google Applications is going to help change that though. Email, calandaring, and document sharing all branded with your domain or company name.
If you really feel that it's offensive to your morals then you have a very simple choice before you: bend your morals and do the work (sell out for the money) or stand by what you believe and respectfully refuse to perform the work then go find something else. I know that can be very hard to do when money is tight and you *really* need the work but, at some point, you have to have a backbone and take a stand. Being moral is easy when your morals aren't tested and you're not pushed to cross them. What really defines your morality is how you handle yourself when they are challenged or you're tempted.
I'm actually in the process of building such a company now. I'm using the democratic management style as a selling point to lure in talent (developers and management) I can't pay. I offer a good share of the profits, a democratic management atmosphere, and a LOT of work freedom.
So far, I'm not far enough along to know if it's going to work well or not but it looks very promising.
Your sarcasm is a bit silly. I don't believe the article even mentions that this was an OS leval attack. Most likely, and from the fact that they pulled all these services offline, the attack happened on a piece of software running on the OS and wasn't a problem with the OS itself. So the didn't hack Linux. They hacked a service. Probably.
About a year ago, I went through a situation with T-Mobile where, when I'd send a text message, it would appear to the recipient to come from another number. And, when the recipient would reply to my messages, sometimes even when the message actually appeared to come from my number, another person would get it. After text messaging and IM'ing with the other party involved, we found that T-Mobile had crossed our numbers somehow. We called T-Mobile and they straightened it out in about 30 minutes.
Maybe the same thing has happened to you with regular voice calling? I'd call T-Mobile and have them investigate. Don't bring up ANYTHING you think it might be. Just tell them the situation and let them figure it out.
I've noticed a lot of signups don't allow you to use free email services like Hotmail, GMail, Yahoo, etc for your email address. Force them to use their ISPs' address.
Does anyone know if a list of supporters of this bill exist? Urging Congress is great. Voting with your pocketbook is better. If the providers behind this knew they would lose a significant portion of their subscribers unless they backed out of supporting this legislation, perhaps they'd take a second look at their stance on the issue. It's not worth giving subscribers these awesome pipes to sites if there are no subscribers to actually give them to.
Before you become an insulting ass, perhaps you should call T-Mobile and ask them how the SK works. Then, go back to your parent basement and play with your crayons. I'm not sharing mine.:-)
Perhaps I'm missing something here but something in this article doesn't make sense. Supposedly, the person left their sidekick in a taxi and eventually had to go and buy a new one. Then, when they put their SIM card in, they noticed the person was signed in to AIM and had taken pictures of themselves. This is where I have some questions:
1: AIM signins are saved on the phone signing in. Signing in from another phone would not tell you someone was logged into AIM under another name because there would be no signin data on the new phone and new SIM card.
2: Pictures are saved on the SIM card or on the phone on which they are taken. They would not be available on the new phone and new SIM card.
Unless I'm missing something here, this story sounds fishy.
Until I read the entry on the P vs NP problem, I thought I understood what the problem was. Now, I'm not so sure. What confuses me (from the article) is this:
The article mentions that you must pare down the number of students receiving dorm rooms from 400 to 100 and that no pair can be composed of two students with incompatibilities. At first glance, I'm not sure HOW this is an "unsolvable" problem. Would I not just select and group 100 students at random then rearrange the pairs as I found incompatibilities?
Can someone clue me in to what I'm missing here?
An article featuring Steve Ballmers' office will be published pretty soon I'm sure. They just have to buy a few new chairs first...small problem with the old ones I hear.
Re:One Point For Gmail
on
Gmail vs Pine
·
· Score: 2, Funny
Just logged into GMail from my shell using Lynx. You were saying?
I keep reading that the main reason companies don't switch from closed to open software is because there are no support options available beyond internet forums, IRC chats, and mailing lists. Have any of you people making these claims actually investigated what support options are available for some of the software you use?
Granted some non-widely used software will only offer forums, chat, and lists as support options. But most major open source packages (including MySQL) does have professional level support available. Some open source companies (like MySQL and RedHat) offer commercial support themselves directly to the customer. Other packages have vibrant support communities that have sprung up around them and even companies that are quite successful offering commercial level support for several open source packages.
Saying that the reason people don't switch to open source software is because there is no support available is simply not true. It might have been true two or three years ago but not anymore. Take some time and investigate your options and you'll find there's a lot more available out there than you might think.
"that's because the only use for an intentional flaw like this are Microsoft plans for World Domination by means of takeover of every personal computer on this planet(...)"
Actually, no. The other (and more likely reason) would be that Microsoft crafted some deal with the U.S. government to allow them access to personal and business computers. With most of the worlds computers running Windows, it's reasonable to assume that the government has at least *considered* working with OS makers in this context. In light of Microsoft's legal problems, I think it would also be reasonable to assume this *could* be some sort of backroom deal with Justice. Of course, it could just be Microsoft and its own inadaquacy too.
Slashdot Mirror
I expect that to change soon. I read this story earlier today about how LinSpire is making the CNR software and warehouse available to other distros. Finally, Linux might have an easy to understand, easy to use software installer/uninstaller. This is going to go a long way to ease peoples fears about buying a Linux PC and might just help jumpstart the consumer market towards the OS. If that happens, and if more software makers distribute their software via CNR, you might just start to see Walmart sell Linux software.
Apparently, the submitter and editor don't truly realize what "open source" is. Selling a PC without anything on it isn't open source; it's selling a computer with nothing on it. This isn't a move to support open source, it's a move to save money by not having to pay the MS tax.
So over the past two months I've played with both the Apple iPod Video and the Microsoft Zune and was very impressed with both of them. Both had good sound, were easy to use, and came with more than enough storage for my needs. In the end, I chose the Zune over the iPod and am very happy with my decision.
I love the Zune's interface. It's easy to use, has a pretty good FM radio, and has great audio and video playback. What really made the decision for me was the fact that the Zune has wireless built right into the device and has a good speed processor. This really opens up the device to all sorts of future possibilities, even if they don't come from Microsoft.
Now, though I love my Zune, I can't honestly say there weren't some frustrations or things I'd like to see that simply aren't:
1: I'd like to see the Zune open to wireless Internet. Let me find a hot spot, connect to the marketplace and purchase and download music/video directly to my device. I'd also love the ability to stream content directly from the net to my device.
2: Bluetooth support. I'd love the opportunity to be able to get content to my device via a quick, easy Bluetooth connection to my PC. Sometimes, I don't want to have to find the USB cable and go through all the problems of plugging it in and doing a sync.
3: Record from FM or external mic. Wouldn't it be fantastic to be at a lecture and simply use your Zune to record everything? 30GB is more than enough to accommodate whole semesters of classes, multiple hours of lectures, and all sorts of other audio. And it's be very cool to be able to grab content directly off of FM even though the quality would suck.
4: More accessories! Of course, this problem might be fixed once it's been out a while.
All-in-all, my Zune experience has been positive. The only problem I've run into was with installing the software. My WinXP wasn't fully patched so the software refused to install. I had to spend 3 hours searching the Internet for a solution (which in the end was NOT provided by the ZUNE.NET site) before I could even install my player. Additionally, I didn't like how the software searched my computer and automatically imported all of my media to the device without asking forcing me to have to go through deleted what I didn't want.
Would I recommend the Zune to a friend over iPod? Yes. I think this is one product that Microsoft has done very right and, while I don't like the DRM on the device, I've been told it's less restrictive than the iPod's.
The Zune has possibilities IMHO and I'm willing to give it the try it deserves. I can't imagine anything but loving it but I suppose we shall see.
techie74354@yahoo.com
Ahh but you have to understand: Sandy Burger accidentally stuck those pages in his socks and underwear. In fact, he wasn't even aware they were there! The hypocrisy on the left is amazing. - Anthony Visit My Blog
The scientiest at the NIST are right: voting machines *are* indeed impossible to secure. But it's not because of some inherent technical limitation or issue. It's because there is absolutely no way to truely verify the integrity of the machine at its most basic levels: operating system and voting software. There's no way to ensure that either has not been tampered with since both of these two critical pieces of the infrastructure are usually closed source.
Now, while I'm a fan of open source, I can definitely see situations where it doesn't really matter (from a security standpoint) whether you use a closed or open system. This is not one of them. If a complete solution would be developed centered around a completely open system it would nearly totally eliminate the integrity issues surrounding eVoting. And as for software reliability issues like making sure it doesn't crash, all the votes are counted and appropriated correctly, ect, that's really *not* an issue. Reliable and bug free software can be designed - think space shuttle, airplane guidance systems, etc. If these systems can be bug-free (or nearly so) then certainly a voting system (something that counts and catalogs) can be.
The government needs to stop wasting money with do-nothing firms with questionable integrity (I'm looking at YOU Diebold) and look towards a solution with nothing to hide. An open solution.
Personally, I think that Google Applications is going to help change that though. Email, calandaring, and document sharing all branded with your domain or company name.
If you really feel that it's offensive to your morals then you have a very simple choice before you: bend your morals and do the work (sell out for the money) or stand by what you believe and respectfully refuse to perform the work then go find something else. I know that can be very hard to do when money is tight and you *really* need the work but, at some point, you have to have a backbone and take a stand. Being moral is easy when your morals aren't tested and you're not pushed to cross them. What really defines your morality is how you handle yourself when they are challenged or you're tempted.
There ya go...from the article.
I believe the damage has to exceed $10,000 USD for the Secret Service to get involved.
I'm actually in the process of building such a company now. I'm using the democratic management style as a selling point to lure in talent (developers and management) I can't pay. I offer a good share of the profits, a democratic management atmosphere, and a LOT of work freedom. So far, I'm not far enough along to know if it's going to work well or not but it looks very promising.
Your sarcasm is a bit silly. I don't believe the article even mentions that this was an OS leval attack. Most likely, and from the fact that they pulled all these services offline, the attack happened on a piece of software running on the OS and wasn't a problem with the OS itself. So the didn't hack Linux. They hacked a service. Probably.
About a year ago, I went through a situation with T-Mobile where, when I'd send a text message, it would appear to the recipient to come from another number. And, when the recipient would reply to my messages, sometimes even when the message actually appeared to come from my number, another person would get it. After text messaging and IM'ing with the other party involved, we found that T-Mobile had crossed our numbers somehow. We called T-Mobile and they straightened it out in about 30 minutes. Maybe the same thing has happened to you with regular voice calling? I'd call T-Mobile and have them investigate. Don't bring up ANYTHING you think it might be. Just tell them the situation and let them figure it out.
I've noticed a lot of signups don't allow you to use free email services like Hotmail, GMail, Yahoo, etc for your email address. Force them to use their ISPs' address.
The teen didn't sue MySpace.com. Her mother did. Here's a link to the CNet story: http://news.com.com/2060-10802_3-0.html?tag=nefd.b l
Does anyone know if a list of supporters of this bill exist? Urging Congress is great. Voting with your pocketbook is better. If the providers behind this knew they would lose a significant portion of their subscribers unless they backed out of supporting this legislation, perhaps they'd take a second look at their stance on the issue. It's not worth giving subscribers these awesome pipes to sites if there are no subscribers to actually give them to.
Before you become an insulting ass, perhaps you should call T-Mobile and ask them how the SK works. Then, go back to your parent basement and play with your crayons. I'm not sharing mine. :-)
I have RTFA. It doesn't make sense. That isn't how the SK works. Call T-Mobile and ask.
Perhaps I'm missing something here but something in this article doesn't make sense. Supposedly, the person left their sidekick in a taxi and eventually had to go and buy a new one. Then, when they put their SIM card in, they noticed the person was signed in to AIM and had taken pictures of themselves. This is where I have some questions: 1: AIM signins are saved on the phone signing in. Signing in from another phone would not tell you someone was logged into AIM under another name because there would be no signin data on the new phone and new SIM card. 2: Pictures are saved on the SIM card or on the phone on which they are taken. They would not be available on the new phone and new SIM card. Unless I'm missing something here, this story sounds fishy.
I believe Jabra makes an adapter that allows you to use a standard BT headset with any PSTN phone. Hit there site for details. Maybe eBay
Until I read the entry on the P vs NP problem, I thought I understood what the problem was. Now, I'm not so sure. What confuses me (from the article) is this: The article mentions that you must pare down the number of students receiving dorm rooms from 400 to 100 and that no pair can be composed of two students with incompatibilities. At first glance, I'm not sure HOW this is an "unsolvable" problem. Would I not just select and group 100 students at random then rearrange the pairs as I found incompatibilities? Can someone clue me in to what I'm missing here?
An article featuring Steve Ballmers' office will be published pretty soon I'm sure. They just have to buy a few new chairs first...small problem with the old ones I hear.
Just logged into GMail from my shell using Lynx. You were saying?
So instead of software piracy, you could be charged with trademark infringment and fraud. Good plan there bud :-)
Granted some non-widely used software will only offer forums, chat, and lists as support options. But most major open source packages (including MySQL) does have professional level support available. Some open source companies (like MySQL and RedHat) offer commercial support themselves directly to the customer. Other packages have vibrant support communities that have sprung up around them and even companies that are quite successful offering commercial level support for several open source packages.
Saying that the reason people don't switch to open source software is because there is no support available is simply not true. It might have been true two or three years ago but not anymore. Take some time and investigate your options and you'll find there's a lot more available out there than you might think.
Actually, no. The other (and more likely reason) would be that Microsoft crafted some deal with the U.S. government to allow them access to personal and business computers. With most of the worlds computers running Windows, it's reasonable to assume that the government has at least *considered* working with OS makers in this context. In light of Microsoft's legal problems, I think it would also be reasonable to assume this *could* be some sort of backroom deal with Justice. Of course, it could just be Microsoft and its own inadaquacy too.