I graduated in June from Auburn University in June. Auburn is nowhere near a major engineering metropolis and is a pretty small town:)
I got into CS because I liked hacking the UNIXes. I had been in the EE curriculum, but decided fuzzy math and physics weren't for me (fuzzy as in I didn't *get* it). Playing with Solaris (and later Linux) got me pumping.
I didn't have a real clue what I wanted to do when I graduated, so I called the co-op department in my Junior year. Although they didn't place me in a co-op position, I had enough web development skills to wow the man who managed the student information systems. I took a position with the Division of University Computing maintaining any student web systems that needed deployment. The Student Ticket Order System there is my design. I also became involved in the local ACM there, first as secretary, then as webmaster.
This isn't to brag about me. I used these opportunities to find what I enjoyed doing. I became a web developer for the sheer joy of it. The ACM gave plenty of chances to meet companies doing all sorts of things...from AdTran to Chick-Fil-A (yes, they do need people in IT) to Raytheon.
I'm nine months out of school. In that time I've experienced the process of meeting with a company that tried to screw me over in the interview (I won't name names, but they're in Virginia, they're Open Source, and they got bought out recently by another troubled company), a company that hired me, mentored me, and layed me off, and the hiring process again with a company that had no clue what position they wanted to fill, and a company where my position got reorganized within two months of employment. That's a pretty diverse employment record in such a short time:}
My main point is that even if you're isolated from a well-known tech area, you can still find opportunities to discover what you like. And Open Source companies are not necessarily the way to go. Look carefully and remember that you'll probably switch jobs several times before you finally settle down.
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) {
print "\n-- $user:)\n"
}
I guess you'd rather spend all your time configuring the system to the exclusion of doing anything productive. I prefer to actually get something done with my system besides editing config files all day.
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) {
print "\n-- $user:)\n"
}
...is not quite as big a thing as you think. The SCT (and CP) systems use a one-time string for an authentication key, which gets changed every time you do something in the system (follow that pointless link at the bottom of the page right back to the current page, ad nauseum, for example). The timeout on the key can be set to anything you please...the default is 15 minutes. Most people at least close the browser anyhow, and if your school is reasonably intelligent, you also have to logoff from the computer:)
AFAIK, we only had one case at Auburn of someone assuming another person's identity in the student web system, and that was because the two of them were roommates, and the imposter had the other person's password.
Besides which, most universities keep all this data on a mainframe (usually IBM) running the native mainframe OS. SSH doesn't tend to work on these;)...TN3270 does, but I'd rather use the GUI than figure out mainframe arcana (I already know enough UNIX arcana).
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) {
print "\n-- $user:)\n"
}
I worked with SCT's student, faculty, and employee web systems for two years, before graduating this past spring. The system is designed to be quite flexible, and fairly customizeable (by SCT...you can hack it if you spend enough time trying to reverse engineer the thing, but most of the time you get further by ignoring the problem;) ). This past year they unveiled additions to their core systems in the form of Campus Pipeline and Kiosk. There used to be online demos at sctcorp.com but I can't find them ATM or would provide links.
The system, as I said, isn't a particularly bad system...I'd describe it as mediocre. It has its flaws but it's better than the in-house system that Auburn University (where I was) had before we bought it. I have seen demos for Campus Pipeline (abbreviated CP in SCT parlance), and it has some interesting features, but Auburn decided against purchasing it. *SHRUG*
I can hear the conspiracy theories whirling in people's minds..."They're profiling us!" No, they aren't. They *ARE* trying to tailor the experience to the user...a very time-honored tradition on the internet. Why do you suppose that slashdot has computer-related banner ads instead of cooking-related banner ads? HMMMM?
The idea behind CP (right or wrong) is that the students will get more out of the student web system if it meets their individual needs...hence auto-emailing them a list of reading material, etc. You might be terribly surprised at the unearthly amount of information the school keeps on you...and while it's generally assumed that they keep track of your grades, the classes you've taken, where the classes were taken, when they were taken, and so on, university computer systems (particularly the SCT system) keep track of your demographic information, your SSN (which is used as a primary database key), and often your campus purchasing information. This is nothing new. It's been going on for a VEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRY long time.
Remember too, that we aren't dealing with DoubleClick here. Universities have to abide by federal individual privacy laws (those laws that keep your parents from calling the school and finding out about that F you made in Intro to Software Engineering). If you really object to CP asking your demographic interests, THEN FEED THE THING FALSE INFORMATION. It's not like CP is a Bene Gessrit Truthsayer.
A word of advice. It's good to be paranoid, and just because you *ARE* paranoid doesn't mean that they aren't *NOT* out to get you. But it *IS* possible to be *TOO* paranoid, and this is an instance of going absolutely, stir-crazy, paranoid. Lighten up.
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) {
print "\n-- $user:)\n"
}
I've noticed in the past that Gimp seems to identify colors (particularly the hex values) differently from other programs (say, Paint Shop Pro). As a sample, create an image in PSP using a web-safe non-primary color (some really light or dark blue, for example). Test the hex value in PSP. Save the file to mytest.png. Open the file in Gimp and use the dropper on it. The hex value *WILL* be different (unless it's really close to a primary color). It doesn't at all surprise me that Gimp's idea of web-safe may not in fact *BE* web-safe.
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) {
print "\n-- $user:)\n"
}
Most will (probably) also agree that DeCSS violates this law.
His point, as I understand it, is that the majority of the people out there who don't understand the issues and the logical fallacies involved will agree with the FUD spread by the MPAA that DeCSS is in violation of the law.
He then goes on to oppine that once Judge Kaplan rules in favor of the MPAA (by no means a foregone conclusion, but quite likely given his present record), that the higher courts, which tend to be more interested in constitutional law and less in personal prejudice, will return the right verdict (e.g., that DeCSS is NOT in violation on the law).
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) { print "\n-- $user:)\n" }
From [Redacted] Tue Jul 4 09:45:43 2000 Date: Tue, 4 Jul 2000 09:44:52 -0700 (MST) From: [Redacted] To: jonkatz@slashdot.org Subject: Article for 07/04/00
This is William Sutton ([Redacted]) who has contacted you in the past about this or that. Most of the time when you post an editorial I agree with it, and I even stand up for you on #slashdot when the anti-Katz sentiment sweeps the channel.
I'm not sure that I can agree with this one though. It would be nice to see some hard facts backing up just WHY Jose is a prototypical champion of American Values. From the sounds of things, he is really a prototypical champion of French Values. Consider:
- A majority of the posts point out that Jose hardly has reasons to be disinterested, and these are financial reasons. Jose (they point out) was responding to a threat to his wallet rather than a threat to his freedom or life (e.g., quartering troops). The "taxation without representation" arguement doesn't wash here either, because it's a US tax, not a French tax. Thus, Jose is subject to American import duties, but is not a US citizen (unlike the colonists here in the 1700's who were mostly English citizens and who claimed that they were not represented).
- American values have never supported wanton destruction against foreign property as a way to achieve something, and with the rare exception of the "Boston Tea Party," against domestic property.
- The French have a long history of lower and middle class violence against anything perceived as a financial threat. This extends to the revolts against the crown during the time of Henry V and the French kings who preceded him. It is an established pattern that when the French citizenry feels itself unjustly taxed or treated that it spreads over the countryside looting and pillaging, opening prisons (remember the Bastille?), and generally creating anarchy. This violence typically starts with the lower class and is manipulated by the middle and upper-middle classes (see Tuchman's _A_Distant_Mirror_ for examples). Jose is in the perfect position as an upper-middle class labor leader to tap into popular sentiment and control things to his ends. (Lower and middle class people don't regularly jet between France and the US, so Jose is a man of some means. And since he is a farmer, he's definitely not in the upper class.)
- The French helped us in the 1700's, not, as some would ascribe, to a desire to promote freedom, but because it made trouble for their bitter enemies, the English. Note how often the French and the Scots (and later the Americans) colluded to bring the English grief? Notice that the English, for the same reason, used the people of Brittainy and Flanders against the French? It wasn't disinterested, and it wasn't for the well-being of the people being used.
American corporatism may or not be evil (you descrbe it as "spreading like measels"), and Jose may or may not be an activist, but one thing is apparent: Jose is definitely *NOT* an American hero, and it may even be questioned whether or not he is a French hero. As far as I can tell Jose is simply a French criminal with little self-control and less sense about appropriate measures for redress and grievance. He would have accomplished more by taking his claims to the French government or by making an emotional appeal on American TV than by his ill-considered actions against McDonalds.
William Sutton
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) { print "\n-- $user:)\n" }
most of the girls i knew growing up couldn't study or concentrate for long periods of time. that's a killer for any analytical career.
These girls must have been the exception rather than the rule. My experience is that by and large the girls I knew in gradeschool and college were far more studious than their male counterparts. Most of the guys I've known would rather play (games/sports/...) rather than study.
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) { print "\n-- $user:)\n" }
whether coding, web design, exploring the kernel, whatever: You actually think! I like mindless computer games, but after a while, I get this urge to actually *DO* something....which playing video/computer games does *NOT* qualify as...I imagine you have a similar urge...
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) { print "\n-- $user:)\n" }
My point was to look at the issue more generally than our usually narrow computer-driven perspective, and to draw analogies in other places which might make the mess a little less murky, and a little less of a technical "did they have x and y and z procedures in place" without the benefit of a larger perspective. In this particular case, my intention was to demonstrate that while we could get bogged down in a bitter and detailed "blocked services" and "secure passwords" (and so on) discussion, it could be reduced to a simpler, albeit still familiar, problem by drawing a parallel with which we are all familiar.
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) { print "\n-- $user:)\n" }
It appears to me that there are some parallels between domain hijacking and airplane hijacking:)
It seems that if you take reasonable precautions to prevent hijacking, then you shouldn't be held liable for one that takes place. On the other hand, if you're wide open (e.g., no metal detectors at the terminal), then you deserve a lawsuit.
Not being familiar with Nike's security precautions and procedures, I can't speak for whether they were reasonable or not.
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) { print "\n-- $user:)\n" }
I wouldn't just go around dismissing him. It's particularly bad to dismiss him on the grounds that his arguements are based on (his) financial well being. The man gets paid to be a professor. His status in the security community comes from his work in security (as a researcher).
One of his goals as a researcher is to develop security testing packages. Dan Farmer, under Spafford's direction, wrote SATAN to help people find the holes in their systems--and patch them.
I think this man is more concerned with developing a secure world than he is by profiteering off a particular economic model.
OK, it's possible to miss a point. We all remember Ken Thompson's remarks about Linux, and I remember being in a lecture hall where Owen Brown and Gordon Bell both trashed on Open Source. It's very possible that Spafford missed this as well. However, as an earlier post pointed out, Spafford's lecture seems to be aimed at a controlled, replicable, process (gee...that sounds like software engineering). As much as many of us hate to admit it, most open source software is designed by the code-and-fix method. I have the feeling that this was one of his main points. It's hard to set up a detailed testing model which handles all of the inputs and outputs (black-box) to see what a routine will do when the routine is evolving into existence.
Finally, I don't think we should "steal" from Dr. Spafford. Aside from the fact that he gives his information out for free (it's payed by research money but donated to the community at large), it's illegal, immoral, and, from a socio-economic point of view, inappropriate to steal.
I didn't have the opportunity to sit through his lecture, but I wish I could've. I'm sure it was quite interesting to those who didn't let certain biases cloud their thinking.
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) { print "\n-- $user:)\n" }
Back in the 90's, just about every software product (word processors and compilers especially) came with half-a-dozen or more user manuals which were difficult to understand and rarely used. And those were paperback with glued binding. Before that (70's, 80's) the documentation actually came in ring binders. We could probably reduce packaging more, except that 1. people usually like to have fancy packaging, 2. market droids like fancy packaging, and 3. a bigger box seems to justify the bigger ($49.95;) ) price usually attached to these things.
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) { print "\n-- $user:)\n" }
Not only are the humans in Star Wars the chief bad guys, they are also the chief saviors (Luke, anyone?). Sure aliens have an important part to play (Chewbacca, for example), and the films very definitely point out that the Empire is a homocentric government, while the Alliance is "equal-opportunity":)
As much as John Katz claims to know Sci-fi, he needs to go back and take a refresher course on Asimov, Clarke, Lucas, and others before casting stones. I've not seen Titan, so can't make a judgement on it, but my thoughts from the trailer in the movies a few months ago was that it looked reaaly bad (the mothership, for example, looked a little too much like a plastic model).
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) { print "\n-- $user:)\n" }
Exactly what I want too. I LOVE my 505 GX, but a Crusoe-based 505 would be the absolute BOMB:)
Linux runs on it like a DREAM....it's fast....my system stats are only a 266 mobile MMX processor, 64 Meg RAM, and 2.1 GB HDD, but in some ways it's faster than my dual-400 at home. And with the double-life battery I currently get 2-2.5 hours just on the battery. With that, plus the suspend-to-disk feature, my laptop has an uptime longer than my tower (days...Alabama Power must've tripped over a power line on Sunday).
Just imagine the power-saving features of the Crusoe applied to that
I'm not arguing that it is ultimately his fault. I AM arguing that he exacerbated the situation. The other kids are to blame for the abuse inflicted on him, but he made it worse on himself by being so flagrant.
Maybe I need to repeat that. They started it. He pissed them off by retalliating (both in his choice of clothing/dress and by making his web site). It struck a nerve and they hit back even harder.
I said before that I disagree with actions on both sides. I've been in his position (albeit, not in Utah), but I didn't go in for making potentially libelous or slanderous remarks about people, especially over the web (OK, so nobody knew what the web was back in 1992, but that's another issue).
Both parties contributed to it. I understand from reading the article that his father says his behavior was calculated at getting him sent back to California (I'd want to go back to southern California too, in his position). Well and good. nevertheless, he did exacerbate the situation to the point that the law (right or wrong) became involved.
I hope that things are resolved in his favor, since he is most definitely the agrieved party in this instance; however, he does need to learn that there are times when it is better not to respond.
Utah is a whole different world from the one we're used to. Many Utahns have a viewpoint that is radically different from the rest of the world. Let me explain...
First, the usual disclaimer: I am LDS. I've known plenty of "Utah Mormons." I am, in fact, related to some. And to those who will ask, yes, I am active. Now for the explanation...
Utah was settled by LDS people who were fleeing persecution in the midwest in the 1800's. The people who first arrived there set up a government to protect their religious freedoms. As with most places run by a disproportionately high number of people from the same religion, tolerance of outsiders was almost non-existant. As long as you didn't deviate from the accepted norm, you were OK, whether you were LDS or not. If you did, though, you were labeled a heathen, and life became quite uncomfortable. Unfortunately this also resulted in a lot of false rumors of sedition, and so on...
Utah's society experienced something of a shock when Johnston's army arrived. The soldiers, who were definitely not up to LDS standards of morality, enjoyed such pastimes as getting drunk and seducing the local girls. To a person from that environment, the effect is the same as introducing a serpent into the Garden of Eden...he feels insulted, violted, and angry about the treatment he is being accorded by outsiders who have invaded his refuge. He also (usually) thinks of himself as morally and spiritually superior. This is evident from an incident during the conflict between the LDS people and Johnston's army.
Lot Smith, a leader of LDS troops attacked a mule train belonging to Johnston. As his troops lit torches, one of the mule team leaders shouted, "For God's sake, don't burn the train!" and Lot replied, "For God's sake, I WILL burn the train" (different emphasis:) ).
This mentality is still there, and there is a good deal of polarization between the LDS people in Utah and the non-LDS people in Utah. This is one reason why a lot of anti-Mormon groups operate out of Utah (aside from the fact that many of them are also ex-Mormons who got kicked out and neither want to move nor remain silent...but I digress...) Anyhow, the result is that anyone who doesn't fit in is (usually) perceived as bad, and ostracized. Standing out from the crowd is not encouraged, more so than in any of the High Schools we went too.
Since the 16-year old is in southern Utah (where the ratio of LDS peope to non-LDS people is extremely large), this attitude is only magnified. It's no wonder that he stuck out, and the large number of people there who disagreed with his behavior, and were doubly upset by what they perceivd as the flaunting actions of an outsider, made his life miserable.
I'm not saying I agree with what they did to him or his response; I'm just trying to give you their point of view. Much of this attitude is sub-concious. Many Utahns who move to areas where they become the minority (e.g., the East coast) carry this attitude with them. To people who are from these other areas (especially LDS people who are native to, say, the East coast), this attitude of "I'm from Zion and you're from Babylon" (and yes, they DO think that way) is especially egregious.
I don't approve of the way they treated him, although I can understand some of the reasons why they did (and it didn't help that he then provoked them). Much of their "holier-than-thou" attitude needs re-adjustment. And as far as I can tell from the situation, this is a civil matter, not a legal matter. Nevertheless, prudence says that you don't poke a hornets' nest with a stick, and that's exactly what this kid did.
POWER....mainframes suck power....I doubt that Roy's 3 old generators plus the three new generators could handle the load of an S/390, plus other computers, plus UPS's, plus redundant storage, plus simple things like keeping the platform running the usual ammenities... On the other hand, what sounds fun would be to find a place with about 1000' of water, set up a group of oil-rig-style platforms, and build a partially-submerged structure.....you could have quarters below with giant acquarium-style windows, the servers upstairs, the generators near the top, a helipad and dock off the side, and run a length of fiber-optic cable to shore.....and as long as you're far enough off shore, you don't even have to worry about someone extending their water boundaries:)
I agree that an artist in general should be allowed to stop piracy, if he/she so desires. This is the artist's property, much as code is a programmer's property. Most of us in this forum get vociferously angry about some alleged violation of the GPL but think nothing of grabbing a bunch of mp3's from Napster/Gnapster/Gnutella. And who is accusing who of a double standard?
On the other hand, for a band that encourages piracy to suddenly claim the moral privilege of stopping piracy is ludicrous, especially when one of the band members justifies his own piracy other artists' work in the same breath that he condemns widespread piracy of his work.
I agree that most of the people who download mp3's are doing so because they either have the disc and don't want to spend the time to convert it to mp3 format, or because they are trying to recover music for a disc that has become unusable, or because they are evaluating a disc to decide whether they want to purchase it.
I personally have never used Napster/Gnapster/Gnutella. I make my own mp3's from my CD collection. However, Napster (and clones), while capable of aiding piracy, aren't necessarily designed with piracy in mind. Napster is like a slimjim: it can be used for good or evil, but in certain circles has a bad reputation.
But what I really don't get is Lars. I've never listened to Metallica, and after reading this interview, never want to. I'm not the brightest person in the world, but Lars comes across as extremely ignorant (and I don't just mean with respect to computers). How on earth did the man ever understand enough to sign a contract with a record label? Or is this why he relies on his agents? I can imagine a sample conversation:
Lawyer(to agent): contract sign contract. Agent(to Metallica): Sign this. Lars(to agent): Zug! Zug! Me sign! *marks an X on the signature line*
Man...next time, please DO edit the interview...and get a speechwriter to put something comprehensible into his mouth.
do I need to say more? The fact is that red hat makes changing the kernel damn' near impossible w/o installing the next system upgrade. Try replacing the kernel on some of the most recent red hat releases and everything breaks (well....upgrade red hat in general and everything breaks....but that's another issue).
Slashdot Mirror
I graduated in June from Auburn University in June. Auburn is nowhere near a major engineering metropolis and is a pretty small town :)
:}
:)\n"
I got into CS because I liked hacking the UNIXes. I had been in the EE curriculum, but decided fuzzy math and physics weren't for me (fuzzy as in I didn't *get* it). Playing with Solaris (and later Linux) got me pumping.
I didn't have a real clue what I wanted to do when I graduated, so I called the co-op department in my Junior year. Although they didn't place me in a co-op position, I had enough web development skills to wow the man who managed the student information systems. I took a position with the Division of University Computing maintaining any student web systems that needed deployment. The Student Ticket Order System there is my design. I also became involved in the local ACM there, first as secretary, then as webmaster.
This isn't to brag about me. I used these opportunities to find what I enjoyed doing. I became a web developer for the sheer joy of it. The ACM gave plenty of chances to meet companies doing all sorts of things...from AdTran to Chick-Fil-A (yes, they do need people in IT) to Raytheon.
I'm nine months out of school. In that time I've experienced the process of meeting with a company that tried to screw me over in the interview (I won't name names, but they're in Virginia, they're Open Source, and they got bought out recently by another troubled company), a company that hired me, mentored me, and layed me off, and the hiring process again with a company that had no clue what position they wanted to fill, and a company where my position got reorganized within two months of employment. That's a pretty diverse employment record in such a short time
My main point is that even if you're isolated from a well-known tech area, you can still find opportunities to discover what you like. And Open Source companies are not necessarily the way to go. Look carefully and remember that you'll probably switch jobs several times before you finally settle down.
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) {
print "\n-- $user
}
I guess you'd rather spend all your time configuring the system to the exclusion of doing anything productive. I prefer to actually get something done with my system besides editing config files all day.
:)\n"
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) {
print "\n-- $user
}
also happens with gif.
:)\n"
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) {
print "\n-- $user
}
...is not quite as big a thing as you think. The SCT (and CP) systems use a one-time string for an authentication key, which gets changed every time you do something in the system (follow that pointless link at the bottom of the page right back to the current page, ad nauseum, for example). The timeout on the key can be set to anything you please...the default is 15 minutes. Most people at least close the browser anyhow, and if your school is reasonably intelligent, you also have to logoff from the computer :)
;) ...TN3270 does, but I'd rather use the GUI than figure out mainframe arcana (I already know enough UNIX arcana).
:)\n"
AFAIK, we only had one case at Auburn of someone assuming another person's identity in the student web system, and that was because the two of them were roommates, and the imposter had the other person's password.
Besides which, most universities keep all this data on a mainframe (usually IBM) running the native mainframe OS. SSH doesn't tend to work on these
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) {
print "\n-- $user
}
I worked with SCT's student, faculty, and employee web systems for two years, before graduating this past spring. The system is designed to be quite flexible, and fairly customizeable (by SCT...you can hack it if you spend enough time trying to reverse engineer the thing, but most of the time you get further by ignoring the problem ;) ). This past year they unveiled additions to their core systems in the form of Campus Pipeline and Kiosk. There used to be online demos at sctcorp.com but I can't find them ATM or would provide links.
:)\n"
The system, as I said, isn't a particularly bad system...I'd describe it as mediocre. It has its flaws but it's better than the in-house system that Auburn University (where I was) had before we bought it. I have seen demos for Campus Pipeline (abbreviated CP in SCT parlance), and it has some interesting features, but Auburn decided against purchasing it. *SHRUG*
I can hear the conspiracy theories whirling in people's minds..."They're profiling us!" No, they aren't. They *ARE* trying to tailor the experience to the user...a very time-honored tradition on the internet. Why do you suppose that slashdot has computer-related banner ads instead of cooking-related banner ads? HMMMM?
The idea behind CP (right or wrong) is that the students will get more out of the student web system if it meets their individual needs...hence auto-emailing them a list of reading material, etc. You might be terribly surprised at the unearthly amount of information the school keeps on you...and while it's generally assumed that they keep track of your grades, the classes you've taken, where the classes were taken, when they were taken, and so on, university computer systems (particularly the SCT system) keep track of your demographic information, your SSN (which is used as a primary database key), and often your campus purchasing information. This is nothing new. It's been going on for a VEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRY long time.
Remember too, that we aren't dealing with DoubleClick here. Universities have to abide by federal individual privacy laws (those laws that keep your parents from calling the school and finding out about that F you made in Intro to Software Engineering). If you really object to CP asking your demographic interests, THEN FEED THE THING FALSE INFORMATION . It's not like CP is a Bene Gessrit Truthsayer.
A word of advice. It's good to be paranoid, and just because you *ARE* paranoid doesn't mean that they aren't *NOT* out to get you. But it *IS* possible to be *TOO* paranoid, and this is an instance of going absolutely, stir-crazy, paranoid. Lighten up.
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) {
print "\n-- $user
}
I've noticed in the past that Gimp seems to identify colors (particularly the hex values) differently from other programs (say, Paint Shop Pro). As a sample, create an image in PSP using a web-safe non-primary color (some really light or dark blue, for example). Test the hex value in PSP. Save the file to mytest.png. Open the file in Gimp and use the dropper on it. The hex value *WILL* be different (unless it's really close to a primary color). It doesn't at all surprise me that Gimp's idea of web-safe may not in fact *BE* web-safe.
:)\n"
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) {
print "\n-- $user
}
corran:~$ telnet dvdcca.org Trying 143.227.44.96... Connected to dvdcca.org. Escape character is '^]'. BSDI BSD/OS 3.1 (www.dvdcca.org) (ttyp4) login:
:)\n"
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) {
print "\n-- $user
}
Most will (probably) also agree that DeCSS violates this law.
:)\n"
His point, as I understand it, is that the majority of the people out there who don't understand the issues and the logical fallacies involved will agree with the FUD spread by the MPAA that DeCSS is in violation of the law.
He then goes on to oppine that once Judge Kaplan rules in favor of the MPAA (by no means a foregone conclusion, but quite likely given his present record), that the higher courts, which tend to be more interested in constitutional law and less in personal prejudice, will return the right verdict (e.g., that DeCSS is NOT in violation on the law).
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) {
print "\n-- $user
}
What keeps this from degenerating to "toilet papering insurance" (e.g., a bribe to *NOT* be hacked/papered, etc)?
:)\n"
if ($user =~ m/shaldannon/i) {
print "\n-- $user
}
From [Redacted] Tue Jul 4 09:45:43 2000
:)\n"
Date: Tue, 4 Jul 2000 09:44:52 -0700 (MST)
From: [Redacted]
To: jonkatz@slashdot.org
Subject: Article for 07/04/00
This is William Sutton ([Redacted]) who has contacted you in the past about this or that. Most of the time when you post an editorial I agree with it, and I even stand up for you on #slashdot when the anti-Katz sentiment sweeps the channel.
I'm not sure that I can agree with this one though. It would be nice to see some hard facts backing up just WHY Jose is a prototypical champion of American Values. From the sounds of things, he is really a prototypical champion of French Values. Consider:
- A majority of the posts point out that Jose hardly has reasons to be disinterested, and these are financial reasons. Jose (they point out) was responding to a threat to his wallet rather than a threat to his freedom or life (e.g., quartering troops). The "taxation without representation" arguement doesn't wash here either, because it's a US tax, not a French tax. Thus, Jose is subject to American import duties, but is not a US citizen (unlike the colonists here in the 1700's who were mostly English citizens and who claimed that they were not represented).
- American values have never supported wanton destruction against foreign property as a way to achieve something, and with the rare exception of the "Boston Tea Party," against domestic property.
- The French have a long history of lower and middle class violence against anything perceived as a financial threat. This extends to the revolts against the crown during the time of Henry V and the French kings who preceded him. It is an established pattern that when the French citizenry feels itself unjustly taxed or treated that it spreads over the countryside looting and pillaging, opening prisons (remember the Bastille?), and generally creating anarchy. This violence typically starts with the lower class and is manipulated by the middle and upper-middle classes (see Tuchman's _A_Distant_Mirror_ for examples). Jose is in the perfect position as an upper-middle class labor leader to tap into popular sentiment and control things to his ends. (Lower and middle class people don't regularly jet between France and the US, so Jose is a man of some means. And since he is a farmer, he's definitely not in the upper class.)
- The French helped us in the 1700's, not, as some would ascribe, to a desire to promote freedom, but because it made trouble for their bitter enemies, the English. Note how often the French and the Scots (and later the Americans) colluded to bring the English grief? Notice that the English, for the same reason, used the people of Brittainy and Flanders against the French? It wasn't disinterested, and it wasn't for the well-being of the people being used.
American corporatism may or not be evil (you descrbe it as "spreading like measels"), and Jose may or may not be an activist, but one thing is apparent: Jose is definitely *NOT* an American hero, and it may even be questioned whether or not he is a French hero. As far as I can tell Jose is simply a French criminal with little self-control and less sense about appropriate measures for redress and grievance. He would have accomplished more by taking his claims to the French government or by making an emotional appeal on American TV than by his ill-considered actions against McDonalds.
William Sutton
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most of the girls i knew growing up couldn't study or concentrate for long periods of time. that's a killer for any analytical career.
:)\n"
These girls must have been the exception rather than the rule. My experience is that by and large the girls I knew in gradeschool and college were far more studious than their male counterparts. Most of the guys I've known would rather play (games/sports/...) rather than study.
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whether coding, web design, exploring the kernel, whatever: You actually think! I like mindless computer games, but after a while, I get this urge to actually *DO* something....which playing video/computer games does *NOT* qualify as...I imagine you have a similar urge...
:)\n"
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That's the funniest thing I've read all day :)))
;) )
:)\n"
(and no, you don't need to feel obliged to get me on their spam list
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My point was to look at the issue more generally than our usually narrow computer-driven perspective, and to draw analogies in other places which might make the mess a little less murky, and a little less of a technical "did they have x and y and z procedures in place" without the benefit of a larger perspective. In this particular case, my intention was to demonstrate that while we could get bogged down in a bitter and detailed "blocked services" and "secure passwords" (and so on) discussion, it could be reduced to a simpler, albeit still familiar, problem by drawing a parallel with which we are all familiar.
:)\n"
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It appears to me that there are some parallels between domain hijacking and airplane hijacking :)
:)\n"
It seems that if you take reasonable precautions to prevent hijacking, then you shouldn't be held liable for one that takes place. On the other hand, if you're wide open (e.g., no metal detectors at the terminal), then you deserve a lawsuit.
Not being familiar with Nike's security precautions and procedures, I can't speak for whether they were reasonable or not.
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....This might be a canary trap ;)
:)\n"
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I wouldn't just go around dismissing him. It's particularly bad to dismiss him on the grounds that his arguements are based on (his) financial well being. The man gets paid to be a professor. His status in the security community comes from his work in security (as a researcher).
:)\n"
One of his goals as a researcher is to develop security testing packages. Dan Farmer, under Spafford's direction, wrote SATAN to help people find the holes in their systems--and patch them.
I think this man is more concerned with developing a secure world than he is by profiteering off a particular economic model.
OK, it's possible to miss a point. We all remember Ken Thompson's remarks about Linux, and I remember being in a lecture hall where Owen Brown and Gordon Bell both trashed on Open Source. It's very possible that Spafford missed this as well. However, as an earlier post pointed out, Spafford's lecture seems to be aimed at a controlled, replicable, process (gee...that sounds like software engineering). As much as many of us hate to admit it, most open source software is designed by the code-and-fix method. I have the feeling that this was one of his main points. It's hard to set up a detailed testing model which handles all of the inputs and outputs (black-box) to see what a routine will do when the routine is evolving into existence.
Finally, I don't think we should "steal" from Dr. Spafford. Aside from the fact that he gives his information out for free (it's payed by research money but donated to the community at large), it's illegal, immoral, and, from a socio-economic point of view, inappropriate to steal.
I didn't have the opportunity to sit through his lecture, but I wish I could've. I'm sure it was quite interesting to those who didn't let certain biases cloud their thinking.
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Back in the 90's, just about every software product (word processors and compilers especially) came with half-a-dozen or more user manuals which were difficult to understand and rarely used. And those were paperback with glued binding. Before that (70's, 80's) the documentation actually came in ring binders. We could probably reduce packaging more, except that 1. people usually like to have fancy packaging, 2. market droids like fancy packaging, and 3. a bigger box seems to justify the bigger ($49.95 ;) ) price usually attached to these things.
:)\n"
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Not only are the humans in Star Wars the chief bad guys, they are also the chief saviors (Luke, anyone?). Sure aliens have an important part to play (Chewbacca, for example), and the films very definitely point out that the Empire is a homocentric government, while the Alliance is "equal-opportunity" :)
:)\n"
As much as John Katz claims to know Sci-fi, he needs to go back and take a refresher course on Asimov, Clarke, Lucas, and others before casting stones. I've not seen Titan, so can't make a judgement on it, but my thoughts from the trailer in the movies a few months ago was that it looked reaaly bad (the mothership, for example, looked a little too much like a plastic model).
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Exactly what I want too. I LOVE my 505 GX, but a Crusoe-based 505 would be the absolute BOMB :)
Linux runs on it like a DREAM....it's fast....my system stats are only a 266 mobile MMX processor, 64 Meg RAM, and 2.1 GB HDD, but in some ways it's faster than my dual-400 at home. And with the double-life battery I currently get 2-2.5 hours just on the battery. With that, plus the suspend-to-disk feature, my laptop has an uptime longer than my tower (days...Alabama Power must've tripped over a power line on Sunday).
Just imagine the power-saving features of the Crusoe applied to that
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Why am here?
Where is the chocolate?
I'm not arguing that it is ultimately his fault. I AM arguing that he exacerbated the situation. The other kids are to blame for the abuse inflicted on him, but he made it worse on himself by being so flagrant.
Maybe I need to repeat that. They started it. He pissed them off by retalliating (both in his choice of clothing/dress and by making his web site). It struck a nerve and they hit back even harder.
I said before that I disagree with actions on both sides. I've been in his position (albeit, not in Utah), but I didn't go in for making potentially libelous or slanderous remarks about people, especially over the web (OK, so nobody knew what the web was back in 1992, but that's another issue).
Both parties contributed to it. I understand from reading the article that his father says his behavior was calculated at getting him sent back to California (I'd want to go back to southern California too, in his position). Well and good. nevertheless, he did exacerbate the situation to the point that the law (right or wrong) became involved.
I hope that things are resolved in his favor, since he is most definitely the agrieved party in this instance; however, he does need to learn that there are times when it is better not to respond.
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Why am here?
Where is the chocolate?
Utah is a whole different world from the one we're used to. Many Utahns have a viewpoint that is radically different from the rest of the world. Let me explain...
:) ).
First, the usual disclaimer: I am LDS. I've known plenty of "Utah Mormons." I am, in fact, related to some. And to those who will ask, yes, I am active. Now for the explanation...
Utah was settled by LDS people who were fleeing persecution in the midwest in the 1800's. The people who first arrived there set up a government to protect their religious freedoms. As with most places run by a disproportionately high number of people from the same religion, tolerance of outsiders was almost non-existant. As long as you didn't deviate from the accepted norm, you were OK, whether you were LDS or not. If you did, though, you were labeled a heathen, and life became quite uncomfortable. Unfortunately this also resulted in a lot of false rumors of sedition, and so on...
Utah's society experienced something of a shock when Johnston's army arrived. The soldiers, who were definitely not up to LDS standards of morality, enjoyed such pastimes as getting drunk and seducing the local girls. To a person from that environment, the effect is the same as introducing a serpent into the Garden of Eden...he feels insulted, violted, and angry about the treatment he is being accorded by outsiders who have invaded his refuge. He also (usually) thinks of himself as morally and spiritually superior. This is evident from an incident during the conflict between the LDS people and Johnston's army.
Lot Smith, a leader of LDS troops attacked a mule train belonging to Johnston. As his troops lit torches, one of the mule team leaders shouted, "For God's sake, don't burn the train!" and Lot replied, "For God's sake, I WILL burn the train" (different emphasis
This mentality is still there, and there is a good deal of polarization between the LDS people in Utah and the non-LDS people in Utah. This is one reason why a lot of anti-Mormon groups operate out of Utah (aside from the fact that many of them are also ex-Mormons who got kicked out and neither want to move nor remain silent...but I digress...) Anyhow, the result is that anyone who doesn't fit in is (usually) perceived as bad, and ostracized. Standing out from the crowd is not encouraged, more so than in any of the High Schools we went too.
Since the 16-year old is in southern Utah (where the ratio of LDS peope to non-LDS people is extremely large), this attitude is only magnified. It's no wonder that he stuck out, and the large number of people there who disagreed with his behavior, and were doubly upset by what they perceivd as the flaunting actions of an outsider, made his life miserable.
I'm not saying I agree with what they did to him or his response; I'm just trying to give you their point of view. Much of this attitude is sub-concious. Many Utahns who move to areas where they become the minority (e.g., the East coast) carry this attitude with them. To people who are from these other areas (especially LDS people who are native to, say, the East coast), this attitude of "I'm from Zion and you're from Babylon" (and yes, they DO think that way) is especially egregious.
I don't approve of the way they treated him, although I can understand some of the reasons why they did (and it didn't help that he then provoked them). Much of their "holier-than-thou" attitude needs re-adjustment. And as far as I can tell from the situation, this is a civil matter, not a legal matter. Nevertheless, prudence says that you don't poke a hornets' nest with a stick, and that's exactly what this kid did.
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Why am here?
Where is the chocolate?
POWER....mainframes suck power....I doubt that Roy's 3 old generators plus the three new generators could handle the load of an S/390, plus other computers, plus UPS's, plus redundant storage, plus simple things like keeping the platform running the usual ammenities... On the other hand, what sounds fun would be to find a place with about 1000' of water, set up a group of oil-rig-style platforms, and build a partially-submerged structure.....you could have quarters below with giant acquarium-style windows, the servers upstairs, the generators near the top, a helipad and dock off the side, and run a length of fiber-optic cable to shore.....and as long as you're far enough off shore, you don't even have to worry about someone extending their water boundaries :)
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I agree that an artist in general should be allowed to stop piracy, if he/she so desires. This is the artist's property, much as code is a programmer's property. Most of us in this forum get vociferously angry about some alleged violation of the GPL but think nothing of grabbing a bunch of mp3's from Napster/Gnapster/Gnutella. And who is accusing who of a double standard?
On the other hand, for a band that encourages piracy to suddenly claim the moral privilege of stopping piracy is ludicrous, especially when one of the band members justifies his own piracy other artists' work in the same breath that he condemns widespread piracy of his work.
I agree that most of the people who download mp3's are doing so because they either have the disc and don't want to spend the time to convert it to mp3 format, or because they are trying to recover music for a disc that has become unusable, or because they are evaluating a disc to decide whether they want to purchase it.
I personally have never used Napster/Gnapster/Gnutella. I make my own mp3's from my CD collection. However, Napster (and clones), while capable of aiding piracy, aren't necessarily designed with piracy in mind. Napster is like a slimjim: it can be used for good or evil, but in certain circles has a bad reputation.
But what I really don't get is Lars. I've never listened to Metallica, and after reading this interview, never want to. I'm not the brightest person in the world, but Lars comes across as extremely ignorant (and I don't just mean with respect to computers). How on earth did the man ever understand enough to sign a contract with a record label? Or is this why he relies on his agents? I can imagine a sample conversation:
- Lawyer (to agent): contract sign contract.
Man...next time, please DO edit the interview...and get a speechwriter to put something comprehensible into his mouth.Agent (to Metallica): Sign this.
Lars (to agent): Zug! Zug! Me sign! *marks an X on the signature line*
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Why am here?
Where is the chocolate?
do I need to say more? The fact is that red hat makes changing the kernel damn' near impossible w/o installing the next system upgrade. Try replacing the kernel on some of the most recent red hat releases and everything breaks (well....upgrade red hat in general and everything breaks....but that's another issue).
Who am I?
Why am here?
Where is the chocolate?