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User: Andy+Dodd

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  1. Re:Best example of this on Web Design Hampers Mobile Internet? · · Score: 1

    I'll take Cornell girls over Rutgers girls any day.

    And the bars in New Brunswick suck. None of em' have anything on Chapter House in Ithaca.

  2. Best example of this on Web Design Hampers Mobile Internet? · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Rutgers University has a somewhat nifty website called www.whereismybus.com that is supposed to display the location of Rutgers buses in semi-realtime. This is needed because the Rutgers bus system is horribly fucked up and inconsistent, and it's nice to be able to know that the bus you're waiting for won't show up for 40 minutes when your destination is only 20 minutes away on foot (admittedly though not-so-nice parts of campus...)

    Problem: The site is heavily dependent on JavaScript and ActiveX. Not only is it useless on mobile devices, it's useless on any non-Windows machine.

    The end result: The people who need the information the most (students freezing their asses off at bus stops) have no way to access the information from their phones, no matter what capabilities the phones may have.

    Typical Rutgers. Why the hell did I choose to go here for grad school?

  3. Strange on Web Design Hampers Mobile Internet? · · Score: 1

    That seems to be one place where the U.S. is ahead of Europe. Probably stems from the "business-oriented" slant our cellphones have had for ages.

    Verizon is $50/mo for unlimited data usage, and if you decline a data plan your data usage is deducted from your minutes. They're the priciest of the bunch.

    Sprint Vision is $15/mo for unlimited PDA data usage I believe. I wouldn't be surprised if VZW drops their data prices soon because of Vision.

  4. Re:Useless... on Web Design Hampers Mobile Internet? · · Score: 1

    Or when you're picking up someone at the airport and want to check to make sure their flight hasn't been delayed for some reason.

    I'm so pissed at Continental for not maintaining the PDA version of their site. Trying to check flight status with the PDA version always results in "we could not find your flight", and the normal version is totally nonfunctional from my Treo. It's a REAL bitch when I want to check to see just how long I should be sitting in the "waiting area" near Newark Airport. (The "waiting area" being an underpass just after the Newark Airport exit from I-78 where all the limo drivers park on the shoulder if they are early for a pickup.)

  5. Never on When Would You Accept DRM? · · Score: 1

    It's unacceptable. I should be able to use my music as I see fit.

    Copy to CD? Sure. (Yes, iTMS allows this)
    Listen on my portable device without transcoding? (No, iTMS doesn't allow this unless you use THEIR product - iPod.)
    Transcode to other formats to save space/play on devices that don't understand the source format? (Nope, iTMS doesn't allow this.)

    Now some form of watermarking that didn't affect audio quality, that I wouldn't mind. I don't care if any music I buy can be tracked back to me if I share it, since I don't plan on doing that.

  6. Re:Mirror? on Jon Johansen Breaks iTunes DRM Yet Again · · Score: 1

    Outdated, still showing 0.3

    Honestly, I'm not even sure if a 0.4 exists yet. All of the links I saw earlier today said, "PyMusique is back", etc. but linked to a reference implementation of the needed code written in C, NOT an updated version of PyMusique, which was still at 0.3 on the nanocrew site for hours after the .c file was posted.

  7. Whoops... on Jon Johansen Breaks iTunes DRM Yet Again · · Score: 1

    Guess which link is one of the ones that's NOT mirrored and goes directly to the original site?

    The only link that's mirrored is the original story on a major news site that's more than capable of sustaining a Slashdotting.

  8. Re:gpsd and gpsbabel on Jon Johansen Breaks iTunes DRM Yet Again · · Score: 1

    I'm assuming he's talking about MapSource.

    Damn it would be nice to have vector mapping software for Linux. RoadMap still doesn't do routing. :(

  9. Re:Just develop a Linux version on Jon Johansen Breaks iTunes DRM Yet Again · · Score: 1

    That's utter bullshit. Everything Apple needs to port iTunes (or at the very least, a stripped-down version) to Linux already exists.

    If it didn't exist, pymusique wouldn't exist. Do you realize how small of an application pymusique is thanks to the fact that there are libraries that handle all of the major issues available for Linux?

    Honestly, I don't care if Apple starts DRMing the files server-side, as long as I can still:
    a) Purchase music from within Linux
    b) Listen to it on my Treo 600

    I use pymusique. So far my first (and only) online music purchases have been via pymusique. And I will continue to purchase my music via pymusique as long as it works and I can listen to the files (or at least a transcoded version of them) on my Treo.

  10. Interestingly enough on Jon Johansen Breaks iTunes DRM Yet Again · · Score: 5, Informative

    Prior to the iTunes 4.7.x breakage (I don't mean the recent breakage, I mean the anti-Hymn breakage), Hymn would leave all identification info in any files it unprotected. In essence, the files were (lightly) watermarked.

    With iTunes 4.7, Apple changed it so that watermarked but unprotected files wouldn't play.

    The solution? Remove the watermark.

    By breaking the ability to use iTunes music fairly (for example, in a device other than an iPid), Apple essentially forced the authors of Hymn to make their software more suitable to piracy.

  11. This is actually the case on iTunes DRM Hole Closed · · Score: 1

    Hymn originally preserved the Apple ID and other identification info embedded into DRMed iTunes files. This was done intentionally, as the authors intended Hymn for fair use by the legal owner of the files, not for piracy. Thus that did nothing to make it harder for Apple and the RIAA to track down someone who Hymned a file and then put it up on KaZaA or another P2P network.

    Then Apple changed iTunes so that it would refuse to play files de-DRMed in this fashion. i.e. if it had iTunes identification info but no DRM, it wouldn't play them.

    Hymn fixed this by changing to completely remove any iTunes-specific identification info. Jon also posted a simple awk script on his blog (1-liner) to fix any previously de-DRMed files that had ID info.

    He didn't WANT to remove the ID info from the files since he did not create the tools for the putposes of piracy, but Apple actually forced him to release that little fixing script and forced the Hymn people to remove identification info.

    In short, Apple's recent actions have done nothing but ENCOURAGE piracy, by forcing the removal of identification info from nonprotected files, and trying to force people to use iPods with Windows or MacOS instead of other players with any platform.

    My first music purchases in nearly two years were immediately after the release of pymusique. I've been wanting to use iTMS for a long time, but as a Linux user it's basically a non-option. iTMS+pymusique is easier than using P2P to pirate.

    By breaking pymusique, Apple made it easier for Linux users to pirate music rather than purchase it legally.

    Back to P2P for me.

  12. Re:Not really closed on iTunes DRM Hole Closed · · Score: 1

    The protocol most definately changed.

    It's definately more of an issue than just changing the UserAgent strings that pymusique uses to identify itself. (Previously as iTunes 4.6).

    If you try to change the useragent string to match iTunes 4.7.1, pymusique will completely break. No searching, no previewing, no downloads, no logging in.

    Obviously iTunes 4.6 used a somewhat different protocol.

  13. Even more simply on iTunes DRM Hole Closed · · Score: 1

    iTunes DRM only works with iPods.

    If it won't work with PocketTunes on my Treo 600, I'm not buying it.

  14. Re:Imagine.. on iTunes DRM Hole Closed · · Score: 1

    You can't use iTMS using any old Apple ID. You must specifically activate the account from within a working iTunes installation first.

    Otherwise, pymusique would just return "login failed" with no explanation.

  15. Or more importantly on iTunes DRM Hole Closed · · Score: 1

    By blocking out customers who don't run an official iTunes-supported platform?

    I refuse to reboot my machine to buy music. I made my first 5 purchases from iTunes immediately after discovering pymusique - I needed to verify my account in iTunes, but other than that, I could do all the shopping I wanted without leaving Linux.

    I was planning on purchasing more.

    Now that I cannot purchase music from Linux, nor can I load anything else I might purchase from iTMS onto my Treo 600, it's back to the old non-legal way of getting my music. I was more than happy to purchase my music if allowed to do so, but that's no longer possible.

  16. Re:High-power RF interference on Build Your Own Cell tower · · Score: 1

    Unfortunately, busting through a major DX pileup requires plenty of power.

    Many amateur radio organizations have various awards available. Common ones are WAS, WAC, and DXCC.
    WAS - Worked All States - One verified contact with someone in every U.S. state
    WAC - Worked All Countries - One verified contact with every country in the world. Many tiny Pacific islands are categorized as "countries" for this purpose.
    DXCC - DX Century Club - Verified contacts with people in 100 countries.

    The whole issue of tiny Pacific islands and other very small geopolitical entities being considered "countries" makes WAC VERY tough to achieve. (Even DXCC). There are many such "countries" where there are usually no amateur radio operators present.

    As a result, when an operator goes on the air from one of these "rare DX" entities, hams throughout the world will immediately try to talk to him. Many of them will wind up transmitting at the same time. This is what's known as a "DX pileup".

    The station with the highest transmit power and highest-gain antenna will sound the loudest to the operator, and that station will typically be the one to get a response from the "rare DX" operator. They'll conduct a short, minimal QSO (contact/conversation) which usually is just an exchange of signal strengths and callsigns, and then the DX operator will call CQ (basically, short for "listening") again.

    The whole process repeats itself. So a DX pileup is basically a queue in which the guy with the highest transmit power goes to the head of the line.

  17. BTW on Build Your Own Cell tower · · Score: 1

    Legal limit in the U.S. is 1.5 kW. Chances are the ham in question is operating legally.

    On the other hand, many ham radio operators prefer to be good citizens. Our license gives us a right to transmit, and legally there is nothing you can do if your part 15 device gets FUBARed by us. But most operators don't WANT to cause interference, and if you POLITELY let them know of the issue, they may likely try to assist you in preventing the interference, possibly by installing RFI filters in various places. I know of numerous stories of hardcore HFers who know their legal-limit amp with massive antenna has the potential to cause interference, and will not only provide free technical consulting to anyone they might wind up interfering with, but in some cases will even buy any filters necessary. (This isn't guaranteed, but most hams do believe in being good citizens, it's in the general spirit of the hobby.)

    Now, if this guy is a CBer with a high-power amp, then the local hams in your neighborhood will probably assist you in tracking him down if they find out about his existence. Hams hate illegal-amp CBers. Not only do they give us a bad rep, but they often clutter our bands.

  18. You're right on Needle Free Injections With Microjets · · Score: 1

    I have 4-5 meters in my house, all of which were free.

    2x Glucometer Dex (my old meter)
    2x Accu-Chek Compact
    1x B-D Logic

    I didn't even have to deal with rebates or committments to buy test strips for any of them. The first Accu-Chek was free from my endocrinologist, the second was free from Accu-Chek themselves IIRC.

    And yes, it's taking the whole "give away the razor, charge $$$ for the blades" business model to new levels. :)

  19. Headphone cables on Shufflephones 2.0 · · Score: 1

    If you don't mind earbud-type phones such as the ones that come with the iPod, check out boxwave.com - BoxWave primarily focuses on PDA accessories for travelers, and their main products are their mini* series of retracting cables. They sell earbud phones with retracting cables, so that you can have the thing fully retracted in a tiny little package when in your laptop bag.

  20. Re:Injections - no big deal on Needle Free Injections With Microjets · · Score: 1

    My test strip estimates may have been on the low side... I have an Accu-Check Compact, I haven't recently calculated the per-strip price. It's goddamned high and seems to be rising. :(

    I never re-use syringes, but I do often reuse pen needles for convenience. For syringes, it's harder to keep track of which I've used for mixed insulin and which I haven't, since you're not supposed to draw out clear insulins after drawing cloudy insulins, plus Lantus never can be mixed with any other type of insulin.

    And yes, I know the use of a pen, "designer" insulins such as Humalog and Lantus, and a drum-style meter DO increase my costs a decent amount, but diabetics shouldn't need to choose between their physical health and financial health.

  21. Re:Injections - no big deal on Needle Free Injections With Microjets · · Score: 1

    Yeah, I'm on my school's insurance plan now, I was surprised at how good it was at its dirt-cheap cost. Most cheap insurance plans suck. (Which is why I stayed on my parent's insurance my entire undergrad career.)

    I put off dropping a class due to fear of losing that insurance though, hopefully I don't have problems dropping it now. (Turns out I can keep the insurance as a part-timer for a nominal fee.)

    In general though, the cost of diabetes supplies suck.

  22. Re:Pain free injections? Get bloodwork a few times on Needle Free Injections With Microjets · · Score: 1

    Flu shot needles used to be huge and hurt like hell.

    Starting 4-5 years after I became diabetic, most flu shots changed to much smaller needles similar to those used for insulin injections.

    Now you can't feel flu shots at all, just like I can't feel 95%+ of my insulin injections because the needle is so small.

    On the other hand, the flu shots tend to make your arm sore as hell starting an hour or so after the injection and continuing for a day or two.

  23. Injections - no big deal on Needle Free Injections With Microjets · · Score: 4, Informative

    Thanks to advances in needles, there are insulin injection methods even for those of us that don't pump that are basically painless.

    You probably already know this but many other /.ers don't, but modern insulin needles (at least name-brand ones, if your pharmacy tries to sub in generics you're screwed) are TINY. The Becton Dickinson Ultra-Fine II/III series have almost invisible needles that are short and VERY thin. I rarely ever feel them. (Occasionally I hit a nerve directly - ouch. But most of the time they're not felt at all.)

    Bloodsugar tests are a different story. My fingers are slightly callused from all the pinpricks - There are no real painless and definately no viable noninvasive bloodsugar monitoring techniques. Noninvasive bloodsugar monitoring is probably the second biggest Holy Grail in diabetes research (the biggest being an actual cure). The "alternative site testing" advertised by many modern meter manufacturers is highly overrated. If you read the manual of such meters you'll find that alternative site testing is inaccurate and gives a delayed reading and should not be used in many situations. (Of the 5-6 tests per day I run, only one is in conditions where AST is fine. And for that one test it's not worth changing lancet device heads.)

    The thing I want most as a diabetic right now though is not painless/easier insulin injections (my NovoPen Junior with B-D Ultra-Fine III needles is both painless and convenient), or noninvasive testing (fingersticks are annoying but I'm used to it), it's CHEAP diabetes supplies. Bloodsugar meter test strips run on the order of $0.50-$1 per test. Insulin prices are skyrocketing. You're basically screwed unless you have a high-end medical insurance plan, which is TOUGH when you're a grad student.

    But eventually, an actual cure would be damned nice.

  24. Re:Support Zaptel on Moving from Binary Drivers to Open Source? · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "Some vendors have closed driver support for Asterisk, eg. Intel/Dialogic which means their drivers can only be sold through a non-GPL Asterisk License. This however means that they rely on sales through Digium, who hold rights in Asterisk. The irony is that Digium are also a telephony interface card vendor and thus a competitor."

    I wouldn't be surprised if this is one of Gerry's motivations for switching to open-source. Do a bit of Google searching, examples are:
    http://lists.digium.com/pipermail/asterisk-d ev/200 4-July/005203.html

    Gerry works for Intel/Dialogic. :)

    As another poster who figured out who you work for said, you might want to get in touch with people in your parent company familiar with open source, such as the eepro maintainer. They'll probably give you better answers than Slashdot. Although they won't give you as much free publicity as Slashdot. :)

  25. pymusique and Apple IDs on Buying DRM-Free Songs From the ITMS · · Score: 1

    If you haven't ever used your Apple ID with iTMS before, pymusique won't work. You have to click through an additional agreement within iTMS beyond the normal Apple ID one when you first register.

    This is why I was getting "login failed" before.

    The account creation system in pymusique also does not work.

    Once you've confirmed your Apple ID as iTMS-enabled, pymusique will work fine. I can purchase music from Linux now! (As an added bonus, no DRM.)