You think that price is bad? Get this, the Thinkpad X series baseline model starts at $1300. Boy, whoever priced that one must surely be feeling embarrassed now, why would anyone buy it over the Wal-Mart notebook...
Or maybe, with the GPS, navigation software, camera, and the fact that it weights roughly 200 grams and fits in your pocket, it could be that the N810 isn't really competing with the Wal-mart notebook at all.
When did Slashdot turn into such a depressing place?
Here you have a device that is built on the Linux kernel, X.org server, GTK toolkit, GStreamer media framework, supports both open SIP and closed Skype, has a browser derived from Firefox 3.0 that can actually use Firefox plugins and includes Flash 9... if your only reaction is "what's the use?" you must have absolutely no imagination or be totally burned out on tech. The GPS + included Wayfinder software alone makes this device a no-brainer over any TomTom or Garmin in my book, as not only do you get the navigator and the car mount in the box, you also get a kick-ass hackable, pocketable device.
The reception at Engadget/Gizmondo seems to have been positive across the board. Are they wrong, or is Slashdot just full of bitter and cynical people these days?
Fortunately the new IT2008 OS that ships with the N810 will also be made available as a free download to all N800 users. As the N800 is only around $220 it's still a great buy today.
Has the consumer market ever bought into > $400 phones? I was under the impression that most of the high-end smart phones are being bought by companies and issued to employees. At least, that's the been the case for all of my phones this past decade.
I think Apple is going to have a hard time selling the iPhone as a serious business mobile, much like Mac OS X to this day has a hard time in corporate America, it's just too flashy and on the expensive side. Sure the iPhone is cool, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't want one, but much like I (briefly) wanted a PS3 and in the end bought a Wii, I'll just settle for the free company phone.
While Joe Consumer may drool over the iPhone, it's probably the company purchasing departments and CEO's that need to be wowed for the purse strings to actually loosen.
Probably it's a problem/limitation of the Flash plugin, and can therefore perhaps be fixed, because the device itself plays Xvid/Divx at decent resolutions and framerates.
A hard drive would have been cool. But on the other hand, I'm using this device to listen to Shoutcast streams and read Slashdot (not some watered down mobile version either but./ in 800px wide glory with no horizontal scrollbars) on the Bus using EDGE/GPRS. When I get to the office I continue listening to Shoutcast over Wifi. It's not an competitor to the iPod, it's something entirely different.
Also this thing is incredibly moddable, I can't wait to see all the crazy shit people are going to come up with.
From my experience with a developer device, the battery life is around 3 hours (maybe a bit more) when in constant use. But when you're not using it, the power management is in fact very good. I've noticed that I can leave the device idle for up to a week and the device will be instantly ready to use when touching the screen. So if you're using it in short bursts of web browsing (or managing your server over SSH:), you're likely to be able to go on using it all day long.
Also note that the Nokia 770 uses standard Nokia BL-5C batteries! I am so pleased Nokia didn't decide to go with some proprietary battery only for this device. These batteries are very light and flat and CHEAP. You can buy clones for next to nothing and easily carry them in your pockets.
The Mono support is still experimental, but I managed download the Mono package and run some simple GTK# apps on the 770. Basically Mono versions later than 1.1.9 should compile and work as-is for the 770 since ARM became a supported architecture.
The Mono application startup time (~3sec) and VM memory footprint is a lot better than I expected even for this early version which is as of yet completely unoptimized for handheld use.
I've also tested Python and Perl on the device and I'm happy to say they work perfectly fine. The 770 is completely unlike any other device in this form factor I've ever used, from a developer's point of view it's closer to a Linux desktop PC in capabilities than something like the Zaurus.
Re:Registration required!
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Spore on GDCTV
·
· Score: 3, Informative
You can just fill in whatever crap you want in the registration form, there's no email to verify your info and you get to go straight to the video.
Is Immunix open source? If it is not, I'd rather learn an open system like SELinux that I can use on any distribution rather than tying my skillset to something Novell specific.
Also the point about configuration is not that important in my mind. With SELinux the vendor is supposed to provide the policy so that everything works out of the box. When properly implemented, all your services will benefit from the MAC protection without you even noticing it. Once SELinux is sufficiently integrated into an distribution it should be almost transparent. Administrators may need to read up a bit on extended attributes, roles and file labeling, but for an ordinary user this is simply not an issue.
I really question if this was a good move on Novell's part. I hope they're not going down this road just to be different from Red Hat.
Not only is it wireless, it makes an instant but highly detailed examination of your taste buds, a spectroscopic analysis of the metabolism, and then sends tiny experimental signals down the neural pathways to the taste centres of the brain to see what is likely to be well recieved.
However, I'm not quite sure why it does this, because it then invariably delivers a cupful of liquid that is almost, but not quite, entirely unlike orange juice.
Last time I ever buy something from Sirius Cybernetics Corporation.
Even when your country is added to the iTunes approved list, all the content is localized. I have zero interest in the stuff on my local iTunes, it's the same poppy crap I can listen for free on the radio.
I want to listen to what's new on the Brazilian scene, download the newest releases from Japan, listen to UK indie etc. Sell to me dammit! I've got a credit card and a 10 second attention span. I hope someone will take iTunes to the next level and truly offer a global service. I realize this isn't Apples fault, but it still sucks.
Everything that can be digitized should be. Imagine being able to call up any song or movie ever produced. That way the media companies would be putting their vast archives to work for them instead of rotting away in some vault. Bulgarian jingles from the 60's are worth something to someone on the Internet right now. When there's see a "watch now" button on IMDB, no matter how obscure the movie, the world will have changed.
Everyone is screaming "just use Yast", "use the webinterface" or "system-config-printer isn't that bad". That's not the point. Here's the scenario: The user plugs in a printer. There is no step two. If there was no printer before, the printer is now the default. There is no need to tell the machine about it this, no GUI popping up, no config programs to run. If there was a previous default printer the user can right-click its icon representation in some control center to make it the default, otherwise it is just a choice in the print preview dialog.
Stop bitching that CUPS is good enough. Informing us that tool X does what you want it to do is of no worth whatsoever. That is simply taking the easy road. Open Source can, and will given enough time, do better. By failing to see the problems you are just hurting Open Source by your zealotry.
Whether some other operating system does it in some other way is completely irrelevant. The nature of Open Source is to iteratively approach a perfect state. There is no part too small or insignificant, or grand and important, that we can not improve it. Every single wording of every label is open to refinement, every padding issue of every widget open to tweaking to perfection. And when the system plain sucks we rip it out and do it again. The only constant factor in Open Source is change and improvement, 365 days a year 24 hours a day. The shop never closes, on Christmas day there is a million CVS checkins around the globe. That is what Open Source is all about. I put very real code where my mouth is, if your contribution to Open Source consists of "well, it works for me", SHUT THE FUCK UP, in your shortsightedness you hurt Open Source and I as a developer will rather have 5 guys pointing out flaws than you promoting the status quo.
The latest Fedora Core 3 kernel (2.6.11-1.14), which is a typical kernel a vendor might ship, is a very reasonable 1.6MB. This includes enough direct hardware support to boot on almost any known hardware configuration under the sun, plus module support for almost everything else.
You probably included debug information in your kernel. Unless you can actually measure any benefit to compiling your own kernel you're better off with sticking to a vendor's, they know what they're doing.
As far as I know, Windows certainly isn't advanced enough to let you chose what programs run on what processor, and I'm pretty sure Linux can't either (well, to some degree with 'nice').
Both Linux and Windows have been able to do this for many years. It's called setting the task CPU affinity.
As someone else already wrote, in Windows you control which CPU a process runs on using the task manager. Even when you only have a HT processor, you can force a process to use both virtual processors. This way you do not need to disable HT in the BIOS but can control it per task, if some program is running slower with HT enabled.
On Linux there are many ways to change the affinity. You can for example use the taskset program of the schedutils package. The glibc API also allows you to very easily control the affinity for programs you write yourself.
That would be entirely pointless, the attacker will simply change his MAC which takes him half a second, while legitimate users may lock themselves out or be subjected to DoS attacks.
With a good editor you don't even think about the identation, it's all taken care of automatically. For example in Emacs Python mode as you type ':' the next line will automatically be correctly indented. It's also impossible to indent too much, pressing tab does nothing as you're already at the correct level. As a result you don't really use tab much at all.
The level of indentation is kept for all subsequent lines untill you press backspace, which closes the "block" and decreases the indentation. Reindenting an existing piece of code (for example when moving it into a function or loop) is also foolprof, you just press tab anywhere in the line and the correct indentation level is determined from the context.
I think the remaining difference between Python is that it's concept of collections are built-in, whereas the Java language only has generic objects and containers are built using this low level stuff. The resutl is that Python gets a big win when it comes to providing terse, convenient and easy to read syntax for processing all the elements in a collection. In programming terms, this task is about as common as dirt on a farm, and is a major win for Python.
I have found that when you have collections as first class elements in a language like Python, it has rippling effects throughout your entire design. In another language, for example when duing GUI programming and you attach a signal callback you suddenly find yourself needing to pass multiple data to the callback. The callback format is predefined so you end up
a) Changing what you're doing so you don't have to (the usual solution) b) Making a struct/class with your data pieces, which you end up using all over the place because it becomes too convenient c) Make one or the other piece global to your program or module
With Python you don't think twice, you pack it as a tuple, and move on. The result is that's it just pure fun to program in Python. You're almost never running into the walls of the programming language or the APIs, the code also ends up better looking because you're not fighting the language, instead there's a very natural flow to it.
Also the ability to drop out of the object oriented mindset when it just doesn't make sense should not be underestimated.
The current Luminocity effects are strictly tech-demos for now, basically showing what is possible. It will then be up to third parties like distributors and desktop environment to make something useful out of it.
The plan is to eventually merge the Luminocity composition manager and effect engine with the Metacity window manager. You will then be able to switch effects and behaviors like you do themes today.
The linked changelog is only the changes between 2.6.11-RC5 and the final version, that's why it's so short. Is there a complete changelog available somewhere?
Also, does anyone know what the status of inotify support is? I think a lot of people would be glad to see it merged, as apps like Beagle require it and the new Gamin daemon (a FAM replacement) should work much better with it.
It's all a matter of how you choose your metrics. Here's another one, desktop applications that don't suck horribly:
Java: Azureus, Eclipse.... I'm sure if I really searched I could find a third.
Mono: Beagle, Tomboy, F-Spot, Muine, MonoDevelop etc.
It's no sillier a metric than the amount of showelware on SourceForge for a given platform. For the Linux user it's certainly a more interesting one.
Even these so called crown jewels of the Java desktop can be spotted a mile away as Java programs. When you run Beagle or Tomboy you can not distinguish them from native GTK+ apps. For all intents and purposes they are native.
Java and Mono have chosen completely different paths at this point. It's futile to try to evangelize one language over the other at this point. Java has settled as a backend language for stuff like web services, while Mono/.NET competes with the incumbent C/C++, and Python to some extent, over the desktop. It's now a case of different tools for different jobs, and at this time it's already pretty clear that Mono is going to be a major force when it comes to the future of the Linux desktop.
Warning: Pregnant women, the elderly, and children should avoid prolonged exposure to CELL. Caution: CELL may suddenly accelerate to dangerous speeds. CELL contains a liquid core, which if exposed due to rupture should not be touched, inhaled, or looked at. Do not use CELL on concrete. Discontinue use of CELL if any of the following occurs: * Itching * Vertigo * Dizziness * Tingling in extremities * Loss of balance or coordination * Slurred speech * Temporary blindness * Profuse Sweating or * Heart palpitations
If CELL begins to smoke, get away immediately. Seek shelter and cover head. CELL may stick to certain types of skin. When not in use, CELL should be returned to its special container and kept under refrigeration. Failure to do so relieves the makers of CELL, Sony Incorporated of any and all liability. Ingredients of CELL include an unknown glowing substance which fell to Earth, presumably from outer space. CELL has been shipped to our troops in Saudi Arabia and is also being dropped by our warplanes on Iraq.
Do not taunt CELL. CELL comes with a lifetime guarantee. CELL! Accept no substitutes!
Slashdot Mirror
You think that price is bad? Get this, the Thinkpad X series baseline model starts at $1300. Boy, whoever priced that one must surely be feeling embarrassed now, why would anyone buy it over the Wal-Mart notebook...
Or maybe, with the GPS, navigation software, camera, and the fact that it weights roughly 200 grams and fits in your pocket, it could be that the N810 isn't really competing with the Wal-mart notebook at all.
When did Slashdot turn into such a depressing place?
Here you have a device that is built on the Linux kernel, X.org server, GTK toolkit, GStreamer media framework, supports both open SIP and closed Skype, has a browser derived from Firefox 3.0 that can actually use Firefox plugins and includes Flash 9... if your only reaction is "what's the use?" you must have absolutely no imagination or be totally burned out on tech. The GPS + included Wayfinder software alone makes this device a no-brainer over any TomTom or Garmin in my book, as not only do you get the navigator and the car mount in the box, you also get a kick-ass hackable, pocketable device.
The reception at Engadget/Gizmondo seems to have been positive across the board. Are they wrong, or is Slashdot just full of bitter and cynical people these days?
Fortunately the new IT2008 OS that ships with the N810 will also be made available as a free download to all N800 users. As the N800 is only around $220 it's still a great buy today.
Has the consumer market ever bought into > $400 phones? I was under the impression that most of the high-end smart phones are being bought by companies and issued to employees. At least, that's the been the case for all of my phones this past decade.
I think Apple is going to have a hard time selling the iPhone as a serious business mobile, much like Mac OS X to this day has a hard time in corporate America, it's just too flashy and on the expensive side. Sure the iPhone is cool, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't want one, but much like I (briefly) wanted a PS3 and in the end bought a Wii, I'll just settle for the free company phone.
While Joe Consumer may drool over the iPhone, it's probably the company purchasing departments and CEO's that need to be wowed for the purse strings to actually loosen.
Probably it's a problem/limitation of the Flash plugin, and can therefore perhaps be fixed, because the device itself plays Xvid/Divx at decent resolutions and framerates.
A hard drive would have been cool. But on the other hand, I'm using this device to listen to Shoutcast streams and read Slashdot (not some watered down mobile version either but ./ in 800px wide glory with no horizontal scrollbars) on the Bus using EDGE/GPRS. When I get to the office I continue listening to Shoutcast over Wifi. It's not an competitor to the iPod, it's something entirely different.
Also this thing is incredibly moddable, I can't wait to see all the crazy shit people are going to come up with.
From my experience with a developer device, the battery life is around 3 hours (maybe a bit more) when in constant use. But when you're not using it, the power management is in fact very good. I've noticed that I can leave the device idle for up to a week and the device will be instantly ready to use when touching the screen. So if you're using it in short bursts of web browsing (or managing your server over SSH :), you're likely to be able to go on using it all day long.
Also note that the Nokia 770 uses standard Nokia BL-5C batteries! I am so pleased Nokia didn't decide to go with some proprietary battery only for this device. These batteries are very light and flat and CHEAP. You can buy clones for next to nothing and easily carry them in your pockets.
The Mono support is still experimental, but I managed download the Mono package and run some simple GTK# apps on the 770. Basically Mono versions later than 1.1.9 should compile and work as-is for the 770 since ARM became a supported architecture.
The Mono application startup time (~3sec) and VM memory footprint is a lot better than I expected even for this early version which is as of yet completely unoptimized for handheld use.
I've also tested Python and Perl on the device and I'm happy to say they work perfectly fine. The 770 is completely unlike any other device in this form factor I've ever used, from a developer's point of view it's closer to a Linux desktop PC in capabilities than something like the Zaurus.
You can just fill in whatever crap you want in the registration form, there's no email to verify your info and you get to go straight to the video.
Spore looks simply amazing.
Is Immunix open source? If it is not, I'd rather learn an open system like SELinux that I can use on any distribution rather than tying my skillset to something Novell specific.
Also the point about configuration is not that important in my mind. With SELinux the vendor is supposed to provide the policy so that everything works out of the box. When properly implemented, all your services will benefit from the MAC protection without you even noticing it. Once SELinux is sufficiently integrated into an distribution it should be almost transparent. Administrators may need to read up a bit on extended attributes, roles and file labeling, but for an ordinary user this is simply not an issue.
I really question if this was a good move on Novell's part. I hope they're not going down this road just to be different from Red Hat.
I've got one.
Not only is it wireless, it makes an instant but highly detailed examination of your taste buds, a spectroscopic analysis of the metabolism, and then sends tiny experimental signals down the neural pathways to the taste centres of the brain to see what is likely to be well recieved.
However, I'm not quite sure why it does this, because it then invariably delivers a cupful of liquid that is almost, but not quite, entirely unlike orange juice.
Last time I ever buy something from Sirius Cybernetics Corporation.
SELinux has AFAIK been included in 2.6 for a long time already. What's new in 2.6.12? The article is pretty light on details.
Even when your country is added to the iTunes approved list, all the content is localized. I have zero interest in the stuff on my local iTunes, it's the same poppy crap I can listen for free on the radio.
I want to listen to what's new on the Brazilian scene, download the newest releases from Japan, listen to UK indie etc. Sell to me dammit! I've got a credit card and a 10 second attention span. I hope someone will take iTunes to the next level and truly offer a global service. I realize this isn't Apples fault, but it still sucks.
Everything that can be digitized should be. Imagine being able to call up any song or movie ever produced. That way the media companies would be putting their vast archives to work for them instead of rotting away in some vault. Bulgarian jingles from the 60's are worth something to someone on the Internet right now. When there's see a "watch now" button on IMDB, no matter how obscure the movie, the world will have changed.
Everyone is screaming "just use Yast", "use the webinterface" or "system-config-printer isn't that bad". That's not the point. Here's the scenario:
The user plugs in a printer. There is no step two. If there was no printer before, the printer is now the default. There is no need to tell the machine about it this, no GUI popping up, no config programs to run. If there was a previous default printer the user can right-click its icon representation in some control center to make it the default, otherwise it is just a choice in the print preview dialog.
Stop bitching that CUPS is good enough. Informing us that tool X does what you want it to do is of no worth whatsoever. That is simply taking the easy road. Open Source can, and will given enough time, do better. By failing to see the problems you are just hurting Open Source by your zealotry.
Whether some other operating system does it in some other way is completely irrelevant. The nature of Open Source is to iteratively approach a perfect state. There is no part too small or insignificant, or grand and important, that we can not improve it. Every single wording of every label is open to refinement, every padding issue of every widget open to tweaking to perfection. And when the system plain sucks we rip it out and do it again. The only constant factor in Open Source is change and improvement, 365 days a year 24 hours a day. The shop never closes, on Christmas day there is a million CVS checkins around the globe. That is what Open Source is all about. I put very real code where my mouth is, if your contribution to Open Source consists of "well, it works for me", SHUT THE FUCK UP, in your shortsightedness you hurt Open Source and I as a developer will rather have 5 guys pointing out flaws than you promoting the status quo.
The latest Fedora Core 3 kernel (2.6.11-1.14), which is a typical kernel a vendor might ship, is a very reasonable 1.6MB. This includes enough direct hardware support to boot on almost any known hardware configuration under the sun, plus module support for almost everything else.
You probably included debug information in your kernel. Unless you can actually measure any benefit to compiling your own kernel you're better off with sticking to a vendor's, they know what they're doing.
As far as I know, Windows certainly isn't advanced enough to let you chose what programs run on what processor, and I'm pretty sure Linux can't either (well, to some degree with 'nice').
Both Linux and Windows have been able to do this for many years. It's called setting the task CPU affinity.
As someone else already wrote, in Windows you control which CPU a process runs on using the task manager. Even when you only have a HT processor, you can force a process to use both virtual processors. This way you do not need to disable HT in the BIOS but can control it per task, if some program is running slower with HT enabled.
On Linux there are many ways to change the affinity. You can for example use the taskset program of the schedutils package. The glibc API also allows you to very easily control the affinity for programs you write yourself.
That would be entirely pointless, the attacker will simply change his MAC which takes him half a second, while legitimate users may lock themselves out or be subjected to DoS attacks.
With a good editor you don't even think about the identation, it's all taken care of automatically. For example in Emacs Python mode as you type ':' the next line will automatically be correctly indented. It's also impossible to indent too much, pressing tab does nothing as you're already at the correct level. As a result you don't really use tab much at all.
The level of indentation is kept for all subsequent lines untill you press backspace, which closes the "block" and decreases the indentation. Reindenting an existing piece of code (for example when moving it into a function or loop) is also foolprof, you just press tab anywhere in the line and the correct indentation level is determined from the context.
It's really very intuitive once you try it.
I think the remaining difference between Python is that it's concept of collections are built-in, whereas the Java language only has generic objects and containers are built using this low level stuff. The resutl is that Python gets a big win when it comes to providing terse, convenient and easy to read syntax for processing all the elements in a collection. In programming terms, this task is about as common as dirt on a farm, and is a major win for Python.
I have found that when you have collections as first class elements in a language like Python, it has rippling effects throughout your entire design. In another language, for example when duing GUI programming and you attach a signal callback you suddenly find yourself needing to pass multiple data to the callback. The callback format is predefined so you end up
a) Changing what you're doing so you don't have to (the usual solution)
b) Making a struct/class with your data pieces, which you end up using all over the place because it becomes too convenient
c) Make one or the other piece global to your program or module
With Python you don't think twice, you pack it as a tuple, and move on. The result is that's it just pure fun to program in Python. You're almost never running into the walls of the programming language or the APIs, the code also ends up better looking because you're not fighting the language, instead there's a very natural flow to it.
Also the ability to drop out of the object oriented mindset when it just doesn't make sense should not be underestimated.
The current Luminocity effects are strictly tech-demos for now, basically showing what is possible. It will then be up to third parties like distributors and desktop environment to make something useful out of it.
The plan is to eventually merge the Luminocity composition manager and effect engine with the Metacity window manager. You will then be able to switch effects and behaviors like you do themes today.
This is because Reiser doesn't support SELinux (specifically, it doesn't grok filesystem labeling) which is a major selling point of RHEL4.
The linked changelog is only the changes between 2.6.11-RC5 and the final version, that's why it's so short. Is there a complete changelog available somewhere?
Also, does anyone know what the status of inotify support is? I think a lot of people would be glad to see it merged, as apps like Beagle require it and the new Gamin daemon (a FAM replacement) should work much better with it.
It's all a matter of how you choose your metrics. Here's another one, desktop applications that don't suck horribly:
Java: Azureus, Eclipse.... I'm sure if I really searched I could find a third.
Mono: Beagle, Tomboy, F-Spot, Muine, MonoDevelop etc.
It's no sillier a metric than the amount of showelware on SourceForge for a given platform. For the Linux user it's certainly a more interesting one.
Even these so called crown jewels of the Java desktop can be spotted a mile away as Java programs. When you run Beagle or Tomboy you can not distinguish them from native GTK+ apps. For all intents and purposes they are native.
Java and Mono have chosen completely different paths at this point. It's futile to try to evangelize one language over the other at this point. Java has settled as a backend language for stuff like web services, while Mono/.NET competes with the incumbent C/C++, and Python to some extent, over the desktop. It's now a case of different tools for different jobs, and at this time it's already pretty clear that Mono is going to be a major force when it comes to the future of the Linux desktop.
Forget about the X.org website, it's worthless. If you want to see what's changed in 6.8.2, turn to the release notes over at Freedesktop.org.
Warning: Pregnant women, the elderly, and children should avoid prolonged exposure to CELL.
Caution: CELL may suddenly accelerate to dangerous speeds.
CELL contains a liquid core, which if exposed due to rupture should not be touched, inhaled, or looked at.
Do not use CELL on concrete.
Discontinue use of CELL if any of the following occurs:
* Itching
* Vertigo
* Dizziness
* Tingling in extremities
* Loss of balance or coordination
* Slurred speech
* Temporary blindness
* Profuse Sweating
or
* Heart palpitations
If CELL begins to smoke, get away immediately. Seek shelter and cover head.
CELL may stick to certain types of skin.
When not in use, CELL should be returned to its special container and kept under refrigeration.
Failure to do so relieves the makers of CELL, Sony Incorporated of any and all liability.
Ingredients of CELL include an unknown glowing substance which fell to Earth, presumably from outer space.
CELL has been shipped to our troops in Saudi Arabia and is also being dropped by our warplanes on Iraq.
Do not taunt CELL.
CELL comes with a lifetime guarantee.
CELL! Accept no substitutes!