Well, they are german after all
on
Exploding Toads
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
Experts have tested the toads for bacteria and chemicals, yet the reason for the animals going off remains a mystery...
Meanwhile, behind the bushes, two german university students power up their focused microwave beam generator, waiting for the experts to get in position to measure the unknown phenomena...
How so, this would lock out people outside of China, not inside China. I don't have any chinese character set installed on my pc, and I would not have a way of typing in that domain name.
I was thinking the same thing, actually. This shouldn't affect anyone inside of China attempting to access sites outside of China. But how does this affect those outside of China resolving addresses inside of China? Does it matter?
In this day and age, I believe that you would probably be watched closer if you were american and looking at chinese sites than if you were chinese and looking at american sites. Propaganda is such a strange thing.
You would have to launch an equal mass at the earth and in the opposite direction (deep space?) in order to counter the orbit shifting effect of lobbing mass off of a space station (remember Newton's laws?).
The republican party recently learned of the theft of very sensitive voting machine related data from Republican Party national headquarters.
One big-wig Republican party guy to another, "Hey, remember that guy in our office in Washington state that is always talking about voting machines?"
Other big wig, "Umm... Oh yea... I think I get your point, we want everyone to think it was the work of one fanatic to take the heat off the party, right?"
I have been thinking about the problem of Open Source and patents lately and it occurred to me that there is a solution to the bigger problem. The bigger problem, btw, is that it is currently a possibility that Microsoft and/or other large patent portfolio wielding companies could go after individual developers and small companies that donate their work through the use of patent extortion techniques not unlike what this story is discussing.
The possible solution? Something like "The Organization for Open Source Patent Protection and Defense" (oosppd.org?). The idea is to start a non-profit or get an existing non-profit (maybe the EFF) to begin to build a patent portfolio and lobby corporations to assign some software patents for the good of the open-source community. The intention would be defensive litigation to protect individuals and companies from patent harrassment related to their open-source activities.
Never call your lawyer unless you have paperwork that you need his help with.
In this case, you can fight, argue and whatnot with this patent extortionist infinitely. If they are really serious you will get paperwork (e.g. start of a lawsuit). Let it go that far - showing them that you will not just *take it* will most likely make them run away. If they are serious then they will push forward to sue you and that is the right time to discuss details of the infringement and possible settlements.
There are a ton of business terrorists and extortionists out there. It is an artifact of our legal system. Ignore them until you can't anymore.
And for christsakes, stop talking to your lawyer. The more you talk to your lawyer, the worse your life and business will be (because he will keep you spinning in circles that are important to him and hazardous to you). Use him only when you have no other option.
Does anyone else here get the feeling that Microsoft is taking code that they would ordinarily distribute as example code with a product such as VC++ and labeling that code "Open Source" to enhance their image?
The two items cited in the article are:
WiX: The Windows Installer XML (WiX) is a toolset that builds Windows installation packages from XML source code. The toolset supports a command line environment that developers may integrate into their build processes to build MSI and MSM setup packages.
WTL: Windows Template Library (WTL) is a C++ library for developing Windows applications and UI components. It extends ATL (Active Template Library) and provides a set of classes for controls, dialogs, frame windows, GDI objects, and more.
Open Source? Or an attempt to change their image with VC++ sample code?
Windows Template Library (WTL) is a C++ library for developing Windows applications and UI components. It extends ATL (Active Template Library) and provides a set of classes for controls, dialogs, frame windows, GDI objects, and more.
Looks to me like something completely strapped to Windows. More like example code from VC++ than Open Source, if you ask me.
But it is still a Windows-based product, with the user needing to run Windows NT4, 2000 or XP Professional. The Unix/Linux element is needed in order to access the Unix operating systems.
A purist might therefore argue that it is not open source at all.
Before I get modded into non-existence for asking the rhetorical question that I did, I want to clarify.
Outside of source with bizarre licenses, source that clearly furthers a Microsoft agenda (such as the Installer SDK Wix), etc..., does anything substantial exist?
Is there a single Open Source project out of Microsoft with a reasonable license that is worth anything in and of itself?
The researchers were able to teleport three distinct polarisation states between Alice and Bob via the fibre-optic cable through the tunnel. The process is not instantaneous as it is limited by the speed of light.
I am feeling particularly stupid, I guess... But wouldn't the fibre-optic cable exist to transfer the entangled photons and the "spooky action at a distance" be performed between the entangled photons regardless of the existance of the fibre-optic cable?
What does the cable have to do with this other than making sure both sides have an entangled photon?
Every effort I have ever seen at this fails. The reasons are simple:
Software is highly custom to it's creator - there is a high barrier to entry for new creators to absorb the model created by the previous creator.
The only reasonable membrane between developers because of this is the API. However, it is unreasonable to have APIs that don't make sense or too many APIs that present similar or same (overlapping and confusing) services.
Instrumentation for software testing, internationalization and other purposes must be done throughout the development process or the costs multiply non-linearly.
This list can go on and on and on... but instead
The most succesfull software development technique is to break a project into teams that can co-develop in a sane way. Each team develops their "product" indepentantly, where every member of the team can be a subject matter expert on the "model" of the software being developed. Some specialization within the team is expected (e.g. this guy is instrumenting for testing, that guy is architecting new features, these three guys are wipping those features out and that guy is doing bug testing)... Keep the team under 10 people...
As long as we are blue skying these capabilities, the small pattern sizes allow for extra hardware to be included on chips that may not even be used until placed into service by a process such as this for healing or even when purchasing extra/future performance boosts!
This is too tasty for the marketers... It is inevitable... After this is widespread, you will only be able to purchase base model chips. You want performance, purchase these 3 performance packs (which activate circuitry on your existing system). Want more cache? You want graphics? You want...
We will come to miss the days were we got everything all at once...
In other news, Grand Haven, Michigan has been experiencing an unusually large growth rate in specialty computer stores, comic book stores and other geeky novelty stores. Asked about this unusual growth, mayor Gaven Hrand replied, "We don't understand it either, but we have noticed that most of the operators of these stores know each other and lug around quite a bit of equipment when they aren't watching their shops."
On an unrelated but also interesting note, the FBI recently decided to place a district office in Grand Haven, citing the nice weather.
Now, I think for most tasks, I could probably replace a PC now if the damned thing could be connected to a monitor (you can already connect a bluetooth keyboard)...
Considering that, I think three years is not a stretch at all...
Do what I did - get prepaid wireless (T-Mobile has a good plan). Besides only paying the carrier when you feel like it (rather than every month), you also don't have those pesky bills coming in the mail telling your girlfriend who you were on the phone with;-)
Cell phones are in the process of crossing the chasm between phones and replacements for your PC. Until this job is complete, margins will be way down.
In three years, I will bet anything that you will be able to connect a bluetooth mouse, keyboard and some sort of monitor to your cell phone (probably via it's charging cradle). For most users, these devices will be powerful enough to toss their PCs for good.
But to get there, the industry is running uphill at a breakneck rate - features and technology are going nutz - it is EXPENSIVE to make this transition.
I completely agree. Keeping the jobs in the U.S. should be a high priority. We should increase the number of H1bs, and continue to do so until we reverse the outsourcing trend. Better to have the jobs here, even if they are paying lower than we are used to, then not having them here at all.
I followed the link and watched every episode of Red & Blue. I must say, that was a refreshing and new experience. Quite cool.
This could be a really profitable segment for some game company to enter. Take a good 3D engine and make it possible to import all sorts of models, provide hooks for motion capture and whatnot and tools for cinematic capture and edits...
Boiler plate corporate charters and bylaws include provisions for issuing all types of equity, generally, the board of directors, not the shareholders need to approve it.
Yes, of course, with privately owned companies and with shareholder approval of publicly owned companies.
There is a tremendous amount of regulation and oversight regarding equity in publicly traded companies. It seems to me that I remember reading that it was a felony to bypass shareholder rights by issuing non-public shares in a public company without shareholder approval. Otherwise, it would be possible to introduce all sorts of deviant and fraudulent behavior, such as selling majority ownership of a company and then issuing preferred shares that convert, reverting control back to a different party, etc.. The laws, I thought, were very very strict about these types of things.
Which is why I don't understand what is happening here.
Awesome. Come RedHat, come IBM, come classaction filers... The chests are full, the violations widespread... SCO welcomes their new lawsuit overlords...
How fun... Now that they have money, it is time to sue the pants off of them and have the aside satisfaction of knowing that we will be taking Microsoft's money...
Can someone explain how preferred shares can be issued on a publicly traded company?
I thought that publicly traded companies had to conform to regulations that wouldn't allow them to issue preferred shares due to the nature of Preferred shares that gives them preferrential treatment in a manner that adversely affects public stockholders (e.g. acquisition, bankruptcy, etc..). If you owned SCOX before these shares were issued, you have just now been (A) Diluted without being afforded normal conentions of protection and (B) Had your stockholder rights pre-empted without being able to exert your normal rights to vote your stock.
Someone please help clarify this. Is it even legal?
Who controls BayStar?
Answer that question, and it will probably become obvious why they would be willing to "waste" $50 million.
The first intelligent comment on this board. There is NO FRIGGEN WAY that anyone would believe they could profit from a 20 million dollar investment in this company without a business model.
However, as a weapon of war, $50 million is an easy play for wealthy companies that have something to gain from the SCO FUD Machine / Reality transconfiguration field. If you were Bill Gates, for instance, you would probably believe that a $50 million gamble was well worth it, if there was even a small chance that it could result in the paralysis of your enemies (who are in the process of scaling the walls of your castle).
These are not conspiracy theories... We are not seeing the death spiral of SCO. On the contrary, we are seeing the death spiral of Microsoft. And when a superpower dies, it dies spectacularly.
Slashdot Mirror
In this day and age, I believe that you would probably be watched closer if you were american and looking at chinese sites than if you were chinese and looking at american sites. Propaganda is such a strange thing.
Hopefully, the intent is to migrate Access installed base off of access and into the sane world.
You would have to launch an equal mass at the earth and in the opposite direction (deep space?) in order to counter the orbit shifting effect of lobbing mass off of a space station (remember Newton's laws?).
The republican party recently learned of the theft of very sensitive voting machine related data from Republican Party national headquarters.
One big-wig Republican party guy to another, "Hey, remember that guy in our office in Washington state that is always talking about voting machines?"
Other big wig, "Umm... Oh yea... I think I get your point, we want everyone to think it was the work of one fanatic to take the heat off the party, right?"
First big wig, "I'll set it up"
I have been thinking about the problem of Open Source and patents lately and it occurred to me that there is a solution to the bigger problem. The bigger problem, btw, is that it is currently a possibility that Microsoft and/or other large patent portfolio wielding companies could go after individual developers and small companies that donate their work through the use of patent extortion techniques not unlike what this story is discussing.
The possible solution? Something like "The Organization for Open Source Patent Protection and Defense" (oosppd.org?). The idea is to start a non-profit or get an existing non-profit (maybe the EFF) to begin to build a patent portfolio and lobby corporations to assign some software patents for the good of the open-source community. The intention would be defensive litigation to protect individuals and companies from patent harrassment related to their open-source activities.
Never call your lawyer unless you have paperwork that you need his help with.
In this case, you can fight, argue and whatnot with this patent extortionist infinitely. If they are really serious you will get paperwork (e.g. start of a lawsuit). Let it go that far - showing them that you will not just *take it* will most likely make them run away. If they are serious then they will push forward to sue you and that is the right time to discuss details of the infringement and possible settlements.
There are a ton of business terrorists and extortionists out there. It is an artifact of our legal system. Ignore them until you can't anymore.
And for christsakes, stop talking to your lawyer. The more you talk to your lawyer, the worse your life and business will be (because he will keep you spinning in circles that are important to him and hazardous to you). Use him only when you have no other option.
Does anyone else here get the feeling that Microsoft is taking code that they would ordinarily distribute as example code with a product such as VC++ and labeling that code "Open Source" to enhance their image?
The two items cited in the article are: WiX: The Windows Installer XML (WiX) is a toolset that builds Windows installation packages from XML source code. The toolset supports a command line environment that developers may integrate into their build processes to build MSI and MSM setup packages.
WTL: Windows Template Library (WTL) is a C++ library for developing Windows applications and UI components. It extends ATL (Active Template Library) and provides a set of classes for controls, dialogs, frame windows, GDI objects, and more.
Open Source? Or an attempt to change their image with VC++ sample code?
Before I get modded into non-existence for asking the rhetorical question that I did, I want to clarify.
Outside of source with bizarre licenses, source that clearly furthers a Microsoft agenda (such as the Installer SDK Wix), etc..., does anything substantial exist?
Is there a single Open Source project out of Microsoft with a reasonable license that is worth anything in and of itself?
Were there any past ones?
What does the cable have to do with this other than making sure both sides have an entangled photon?
Software is highly custom to it's creator - there is a high barrier to entry for new creators to absorb the model created by the previous creator.
The only reasonable membrane between developers because of this is the API. However, it is unreasonable to have APIs that don't make sense or too many APIs that present similar or same (overlapping and confusing) services.
Instrumentation for software testing, internationalization and other purposes must be done throughout the development process or the costs multiply non-linearly.
This list can go on and on and on... but instead
The most succesfull software development technique is to break a project into teams that can co-develop in a sane way. Each team develops their "product" indepentantly, where every member of the team can be a subject matter expert on the "model" of the software being developed. Some specialization within the team is expected (e.g. this guy is instrumenting for testing, that guy is architecting new features, these three guys are wipping those features out and that guy is doing bug testing)... Keep the team under 10 people...
We will come to miss the days were we got everything all at once...
In other news, Grand Haven, Michigan has been experiencing an unusually large growth rate in specialty computer stores, comic book stores and other geeky novelty stores. Asked about this unusual growth, mayor Gaven Hrand replied, "We don't understand it either, but we have noticed that most of the operators of these stores know each other and lug around quite a bit of equipment when they aren't watching their shops."
On an unrelated but also interesting note, the FBI recently decided to place a district office in Grand Haven, citing the nice weather.
So did I until I bought this
Now, I think for most tasks, I could probably replace a PC now if the damned thing could be connected to a monitor (you can already connect a bluetooth keyboard)...
Considering that, I think three years is not a stretch at all...
Do what I did - get prepaid wireless (T-Mobile has a good plan). Besides only paying the carrier when you feel like it (rather than every month), you also don't have those pesky bills coming in the mail telling your girlfriend who you were on the phone with ;-)
Cell phones are in the process of crossing the chasm between phones and replacements for your PC. Until this job is complete, margins will be way down.
In three years, I will bet anything that you will be able to connect a bluetooth mouse, keyboard and some sort of monitor to your cell phone (probably via it's charging cradle). For most users, these devices will be powerful enough to toss their PCs for good.
But to get there, the industry is running uphill at a breakneck rate - features and technology are going nutz - it is EXPENSIVE to make this transition.
I completely agree. Keeping the jobs in the U.S. should be a high priority. We should increase the number of H1bs, and continue to do so until we reverse the outsourcing trend. Better to have the jobs here, even if they are paying lower than we are used to, then not having them here at all.
I followed the link and watched every episode of Red & Blue. I must say, that was a refreshing and new experience. Quite cool.
This could be a really profitable segment for some game company to enter. Take a good 3D engine and make it possible to import all sorts of models, provide hooks for motion capture and whatnot and tools for cinematic capture and edits...
Boiler plate corporate charters and bylaws include provisions for issuing all types of equity, generally, the board of directors, not the shareholders need to approve it.
Yes, of course, with privately owned companies and with shareholder approval of publicly owned companies.
There is a tremendous amount of regulation and oversight regarding equity in publicly traded companies. It seems to me that I remember reading that it was a felony to bypass shareholder rights by issuing non-public shares in a public company without shareholder approval. Otherwise, it would be possible to introduce all sorts of deviant and fraudulent behavior, such as selling majority ownership of a company and then issuing preferred shares that convert, reverting control back to a different party, etc.. The laws, I thought, were very very strict about these types of things.
Which is why I don't understand what is happening here.
Awesome. Come RedHat, come IBM, come classaction filers... The chests are full, the violations widespread... SCO welcomes their new lawsuit overlords...
How fun... Now that they have money, it is time to sue the pants off of them and have the aside satisfaction of knowing that we will be taking Microsoft's money...
Can someone explain how preferred shares can be issued on a publicly traded company?
I thought that publicly traded companies had to conform to regulations that wouldn't allow them to issue preferred shares due to the nature of Preferred shares that gives them preferrential treatment in a manner that adversely affects public stockholders (e.g. acquisition, bankruptcy, etc..). If you owned SCOX before these shares were issued, you have just now been (A) Diluted without being afforded normal conentions of protection and (B) Had your stockholder rights pre-empted without being able to exert your normal rights to vote your stock.
Someone please help clarify this. Is it even legal?
Who controls BayStar? Answer that question, and it will probably become obvious why they would be willing to "waste" $50 million.
The first intelligent comment on this board. There is NO FRIGGEN WAY that anyone would believe they could profit from a 20 million dollar investment in this company without a business model.
However, as a weapon of war, $50 million is an easy play for wealthy companies that have something to gain from the SCO FUD Machine / Reality transconfiguration field. If you were Bill Gates, for instance, you would probably believe that a $50 million gamble was well worth it, if there was even a small chance that it could result in the paralysis of your enemies (who are in the process of scaling the walls of your castle).
These are not conspiracy theories... We are not seeing the death spiral of SCO. On the contrary, we are seeing the death spiral of Microsoft . And when a superpower dies, it dies spectacularly .