One of the trends in Anime today seems to be the ressurection of older shows from previous decades, recycling plots, and retooling character designs and storylines. BGC TV and AD POLICE are some of the last in this current trend.
Ever since the colapse of the OVA Market, some claim that this is a "disturbing" trend. Especially since they usually take established characters etched into fandom(at least the ones who were around to watch it the first time around ^_^) and possibly mangle them into something else.
BGC TV, fortunately, did a good job. The character designs change but the core feeling is better and more convincing. For instance, the original Nene was supposed to be a Hacker but she didn't really act like one in the OVA. She acted more like a "consultant" than a hacker. On the other hand, Nene in the revamped TV series has an appartment full of computers(which is rather messy it seems), eats bad junk food while using the computer, and has a hacking ego the size of Genom Tower. I will miss the red hair though. ^_^;
These days, I approach revamped shows like these carefully. They must remain true to "form" and yet have modern sensibilities(if that makes sense in Anime ^_^). If they do that, then I have no problem watching it. If they don't, I'll ignore them faster than DIRTY PAIR FLASH. ^_^
It does appear now that there enough Slashdot authors interested in posting Anime news that they should make an Anime Topic. If Slashdot does decide to go for it, use Anipike, EX, and A Fan's View for useful URLs. ^_^
EX right now is running a feature on BONES, the production house that brought out fine works like ESCAFLOWNE and COWBOY BEBOP. Cover art done by Kawamoto himself! ^_^
I like the interest in Anime you guys are showing. Please keep it up!
It could be said that Tenchi OAV appeals to the "geek nature." Many hidden features and silent plot points make it a story to be STUDIED as well as enjoyed. This is, among other reasons, why I enjoy Tenchi OAV over either TV season.
Some of the finer points listed here: - Isn't it interesting that at the end of the first OAV in Tenchi's house we have: - Sasami: Join with Tsunami(read: goddess) the source of the wonderful power that has made Jurai the largest space faring empire around. - Mihoshi: Grandaughter to the Galaxy Police High Marshal(read: big wig) who either seems to be either the luckiest person in the galaxy or the most intelegent by faking being silly. ^_^ - Washu: Supposedly the smartest genius in the galaxy(whos only foil is Mihoshi ^_^). At least smart enough to "create" Ryoko and Ryo-ohki who are compariable to anything Jurai has to offer. Maybe has a past with Tsunami...maybe even like Sasami(ie. assimilated)! - Aeka: The Crown Princess of Jurai: the most powerful empire in the galaxy. Enuf said. ^_^ - Ryoko: One the of the most mysterious and powerful things walking around on two legs. Only surpassed by... - Tenchi: Has displayed powers on the level most star ships can't generate. Quite possibly the next ruler of Jurai...if he isn't careful. ^_^ So it is quite possible that assembled under one roof on Earth the future power holders of the galaxy if not already the most powerful people ever born. Coincidence? Maybe. ^_^
- Of course all of this would have been for nothing if Yosho hadn't left Jurai in the first place. Why did Yosho leave Jurai in the first place? He says he couldn't handle the predjudice because he was half human but subtilites point to more. Did Tsunami coax him to go?
- I've always thought the relationship between Ryoko and Washu would be an excellent subject to go over in a 3rd OAV.
- Of course one can not ignore the hints suggesting that Ryoko isn't the only child of Washu. Who could the other child be? Maybe its....no...its too silly to say. ^_^
- The "technology" in Tenchi is interesting too. Jurai technology is very organic where verything appears to be made of their trees(weapons, ships, etc.). Washu's technology appears to be based on crystals. Yet their power seems to work together. This supports the idea that Washu and Tsunami are even closer than any one expected.
- The Avatar Theory: Tsunami seems to have two sisters? What are they up too? What is Tsunami up too? Why bother "promoting" Jurai? The Avatar Theory is a theory that says that Tsunami is trying to "foster" an Avatar: someone from this universe that can wield their power since it seems that "assimilation" may restrict her power in this universe(if you look at Washu for comparison...assuming she is who we think she is ^_^). Washu may have Ryoko. Tsunami may have Tenchi. Tokimi has....well that is what I'm hoping is revealed in a 3rd OAV. ^_^
Some people say that the OAVs are overly complicated compared to the TV series. I instead say that the TV series dumb things way down. I revel in the insanity of the OAV story that seems to have reason if you look close enough(or maybe I'm just seeing things ^_^). In any event, I enjoy just considering the possiblities in this story much more than any story that has come along. This is why I'm very excited about a 3rd Tenchi OAV with Kajishima writing the story again.
Napster may dodge the bullet about distributing MP3s(ie. they provide a utility to distribute MP3...whether it is illegal to do so is not up to Napster to decide) but making a giantic resource/list of "trusted" individuals will make it easier for any artist to track down who is distributing their song if they chose to do so.
So insted of pestering Napster to stop their operations, artists who want to enforce their copyrights can go out and look for who is has the highest rating for distributing their songs and bust them.
Sounds like a good deal for everyone but users. I guess it doesn't matter since stealing copyrighted stuff isn't kosher in the first place.
Your first question is easy: STL isn't supported on all compilers and OS platforms correctly yet. Why let such a trival thing like dependance on STL be a show-stopping trip up for cross platform independent code?
"But gcc supports it!"
Unfortunately, gcc isn't installed everwhere nor are the underlying support libraries.
On the other hand, simple C++ features seem to be supported almost everywhere. I have no problem with abandoning nifty STL features to insure stability and correctly working platform independent code.
I believe that the next step in UI evoluation will have to happen by removing the graphics part of it.
To tell the computer what we want it to do, we use the input devices given. Type some commands. Navigate a menu. Click and icon. This is all done to tell the computer what we have in mind for it to do. Humans don't interact with each other in this manner, but given the restrictions of the hardward on a computer we are forced into this slightly alien modes of communication.
So to add new UI methodology, we need to have new devices that allow us to interface with computers and new devices to give us feedback. The goal should be to drive technology to interact more on our level instead of making us interact with computers on their.
Voice Recognition will be important in this respect. People covey tasks to each other by spoken commands. Computer should be no different.
Sight Recognition will be important too. If the computer knew what you were looking at, it may figure out what you want it to do.
Immersive 3D Enviroments also could be important. Instead of coding instructions for a computer, why not show them what you want them to do by letting them watch your actions? This could be very important for robots that assemble something.
The flip side to this is that although if you have to do anything more than "computer, add this stuff up" then you'll find it hard to express that in human terms(language, motion, etc). Just think about how hard it would be express in human language terms every piece of data flow that could be in a server side database program(like Slashdot)! It could be that keyboards and mice are going to be hanging around with us for quite awhile regardless of what advances in hardware come along.
I could never get my GeForce 2 to work under XFree 3.3.x. It could never ever display anything after and then would hose display of even simple text aftewards. Luckily I could still issue a reboot locally or remotely.
On the other hand, I went to XFree 4.0 and snagged the NVIDIA drivers and it worked on the first try. Can't ask for any more than that from the software. ^_^
Slashdot has no qualms about posting stuff to save peguins from an oily drowning death but I think they would hestitate if demons were being hunted down and destroyed by the Vatican!
Could this be yet another Linux vs BSD Slashdot issue? Kind of makes you think. ^_^
ps. What the heck is that cute demon called anyways?
Regardless which laywer Napster brings, I'm unsure how Napster could even begin to defend themselves when they even admit to this on their web page....
Imagine...an application that takes the hassle out of searching for MP3s. No more broken links, no more slow downloads, and no more busy, disorganized FTP sites. With Napster, you can locate and download your favorite music in MP3 format from one convenient, easy-to-use interface.
So Napster wants to be responsible for helping its users to distribute MP3, but then doesn't want to be responsible for helping its user to distribute MP3? How does that logic work? How will Boise or his team defend Napster when they show some real questionable logic that is difficult to defend legally?
What is up with the KDE Crew? Don't they see the potiental dangers in there laxed licensing policy? There indifference to fix the problem doesn't reflect well on their project or their direction. Do they really not care?
For me, this is above all other reasons why I'm lery of KDE. Does Troll Tech really believe developers will blindly follow just because they write code?
Errr...when I said "Hitoshi's exploits as a Seiyuu(a voice actor/actress) are legendary and his database shows it." I meant to say..
Hitoshi's exploits as a Seiyuu(a voice actor/actress) FAN are legendary and his database shows it.
Hitoshi, as far as I know, doesn't work anywhere in the Japanese Anime industry(I think he works for DEC ^_^) and is just a fan like anyone else. If nothing else, it shows how one guy with a little hardware and programming knowledge can produce something truly useful and powerful.
If you are looking for some Anime resources on line, here is a short list off the top of my head:
- EX This is a review site that reviews a ton of Anime, Anime Music, Manga(comics where a lot of Anime comes from), and other stuff(games, books, etc that are Anime related). One of the oldest and longest running online Anime e-zines.
- Hitoshi Doi's Seiyuu Database Hitoshi's exploits as a Seiyuu(a voice actor/actress) are legendary and his database shows it. If there was a piece of animation made in Japan and there was a speaking role in it, it has been cataloged here. Great for crossref-ing your favorite actress!
Conventions(there are a bunch...to list them all would kill me ^_^) - Anime Expo Southern California con. Quite possibly, the "high profile Anime con" where a lot of the domestics and some of the Japanese companies make announcements.
- Anime Central Chicago area con. Great con for those of us who live in the center of the country. ^_^;
Business... - A.D. Films Domestic distributor of stuff shows like Evangelion. - Anime Village Domestic distributor of stuff shows like Cowboy Bebop. - Pioneer Anime Domestic distributor of shows like Tenchi.
Finally.... - Anipike An ambitious attempt to catalog all of the Anime content out there on the web. Has an interesting "Last Exit" column that showcases the best(and the worse) of Anime Online. This site is great to find anything and everything Anime.
It sounds like you can't even use the word "apogee" without Apogee's(r) blessing? Thanks a lot guys...now how do we describe the part of the orbit that is farthest away from the body?!
What will NASA and the International Space community do now that "apogee" (all rights reserved) has been taken away from them!? I'm just waiting for Apogee(r) to sue NASA and JPL when they do a press release on the Galileo Space Craft when it encounters Europa at its farthest point from Jupiter. ^_^;
I asked a friend the other day who is big into Napster(I unfortunately introduced it to them) why they have so many.mp3 on their machine. "Because it is free and easy." Is this the rally cry Napster wants to rally behind? Its okay as long as the masses want it cheap and free?
Where does it end? Are people who download massive quantities of.mp3 fans? What about other media like video and books and art? Are you doing them such a favor by take a picture of their sculpture or painting and pushing up onto the web? There are plenty of artists who don't want their works featured in "digital media" and that should be their right. It doesn't matter what the fans want or what the fans think is convient if the creator has made a knowledgable decision about how they want to handle their creation. But enough people wave the banner "I'm really a fan and doing this helps expose them to more people" thinking they are doing the creator's a favor by robbing them of the right to control the fate of their creations.
And that is what is at the heart of the matter. Creators who are bringing suit against Napster aren't clueless. What they see is that one of the best features of our open soceity, the right to choose what one does with their own creation, get stomped on in the name of mass-consumer enjoyment.
We harp all over anyone or anything that violates OSS license but people go "Yea Napster!" when it comes to violating other creator's licenses? Its great if you are an artist who wants to use MP3 and they have the right to do so. Artists also have a right not to use MP3 and also have to right TO REFUSE any of Napster's "help".
Just because a group of people think that the project "isn't as cool" or "isn't as good" as another project doesn't mean they need to stop give up and throw in the towel.
GNOME != KDE just as KDE != GNOME. There are things that are great about both yet you'd be nuts to say to the other "you guys need to shut down because you don't do what the other does." The GNOME Crew thinks they are doing great and can keep going. Why should they stop now just because you think KDE rules?
What are the general zoning laws for this kind of stuff? I know that if I were to build a house today, I would insist each room have a twisted pair jack somewhere but is there a possible zoning specification to be worried about?
How is doing this different than someone making observations and critizing their actions?
Lets try this analogy: Person A is sitting in a coffee shop mind their own buisness. Another person, Person B, walks up to the Person A and asks "Can you show me child porn?" mistaking them for someone who can sell child pornos to them. Person A, having nothing to do with child pornography and is deeply and morally offended by the very thought of it, tells Person B to "go away" and then stands up in the coffee shop and says "Person B just asked me for child pornography!" Now everyone in the coffee shop knows what Person B was up too.
I am unclear how anything illegal has been done to Person B in this hypothetical example or in ZeroPaid's actions. Is there something in documentation that says "all querries are private and protected?" Gnutella had nothing to do with it...they were asking ZeroPaid for the stuff. I don't see anything particularly wrong with voicing your outrage like this and I think this is what the ZeroPaid's guys are trying to accomplish. "Freedom of Speech" doesn't mean "anonymity". Also, you don't need to see "schoolgirlxxx.jpg" to accomplish acedemic research on any subject releated to child pornography (like the pyschological damages) so I'm unclear how someone could be mistakeningly identified.
ps: I'm personally disgusted with any moral and ethical abuses like this and even more disturbed by the invoking of moral and ethical arguments in its defense! I can't imagine how anyone could believe child pornography is anything close to a "Freedom of Speech" issue. The people who produce and consume this aweful stuff are enjoying the "freedoms" at the expense of some of the weakest and most vulnerable members of our society. Bleck. >-(
Every time I read material from Mr. Stallman, I remember Socrates and what Plato said he did.
Socrates, a man with sound philosophy who argued ethics and morals, walked around his world spouting stuff that didn't make him too popular with the established crowd. Socrates went around and questioned the very belief base of his society. For that he was jeered, vilified in the mainstream, and was ultimately killed.
Here we have Stallman. From what I have read so far, he seems to have sound philosophy in his morals and ethics. He walks around the real world and puts stuff out on the Internet saying stuff that isn't very popular with the established way of "doing things". He questions the very notion of how software companies have based making their money which is selling software with proprietary code. People point at him saying he is "kooky" and a nut case. They also vilify him by saying "Open Software is for hippies...you can't make a successful business doing it."
I'm not saying that RMS is heading for the same fate Socrates is (in dying or becoming a philosopher that will be known 2400 years after his death) but it does have some interesting parallels.
Col. Quick logic is a symptom of the backwards thinking that seems to be everywhere in the computing world...
"We use a lot of UNIX in the command and control centers, but we use NT for the desktop," says Quick. With open-source software, "you could well have somebody developing a little application that they become dependent on. The person who develops it leaves, somebody else moves in who's never seen it before. If that's your expert, and they're now over in Saudi, you're kind of out of luck."
Loss of manpower is one thing that is completely unavoidable in the workforce. Sooner or later, you'll have to train someone else to take a position you fill today. If someone develops a nifty NT application and suddenly finds himself or herself in Saudi, then they are still stuck. How does having it on one platform or another make a difference?
Besides, in as little as 5 years, they will need to replace all of their NT stuff when Microsoft yet again "innovates" a supposed new OS(I'm sorry...NT2K at its core is still the same NT. Where is the revolutionary software?). On the other hand, BSD and Linux seem to preach a "extend the tools" philosophy. The logic here is that all of the code and design is still good...why through it away? Indeed it seems that Microsoft's business strategy is predicated on the need for deprication. So why throw away and buy from scratch(Microsoft) when you can reuse and retool(Open Software)? Especially in Fed Government groups, the Budget Axe may come back on a whim(ie. political winds) so why not go with the cheaper extendable solution?
I like how the author points out things have kind of come full circle. From one of the first computers to the latest versions....
The word abacus comes from the Greek word abax, a corruption of the Phoenician word abak, meaning sand. It's not surprising, then, that all computers nowadays are based on wafers of silica, the principal ingredient of sand. Or that computer-speak is Greek to most people.
Is it Verant and the designers of EQ for being somewhat laxed in their design? It is one thing that the server has to tell the client where all of the dynamic objects in the world are position, it is something else to blantanly tell the client extra junk about them. There is no particular reason why the client needs to know the exact hit points of a creature. It should have been broadcast to the client as a percentage, which in the end is what the player ends up seeing. If they were really concerned about people "eavesdropping", they should have encrypted the data streams. Scanning the computer to see if hacker tools are employed is a weak attempt to stop this kind of exploit, at best, and, at worse, it is wrong.
In another sense, Verant and EQ are trying to act in the best interest of the game. How many people will continue to play a game of Chess against a person who is blantantly cheating? EQ should probably be no different. I want them to actively keep the game from descending into a hacker's paradise.
Is it the players are at fault for trying such junk in the first place? And please don't quote me "the players pay have a right to do what they want" because that isn't true. By agreeing to play any game, you agree to follow a certain framework of rules. If a cheater is playing someone in a game a real world Chess and the cheater is caught cheating, they really have no defense. EQ should be no different. The "neutral tool" argument doesn't really work here either(ie. 'hammer is a tool that does some good things and bad things...do we outlaw hammers?'). ShowEQ isn't a generic tool that has other applications. It was designed for one purpose and one purpose only. If ShowEQ was designed for "acedemic reason" that is one thing but I have a hard time believing so many people are interested in ShowEQ because it teaches useful programming skills.
In another sense, players should push Verant and the EQ Architecture to the limit. The only way the game will get better is if the players push on Verant to improve it. As mentioned before, the fact that you can listen to packets flying by and find out extra information indicates a weakness in their design. It should be pointed out that one of the useful things that came out of ShowEQ is that it was shown that reduntant information was coming back from the server. Verant did take note and said they would do something about it (although I'm unclear whether or not they actually fixed it. ^_^). How can the players do this without actually figuring out how some of the game works?
IMHO, both sides blew this way out of proportion. Verant didn't think things through when they wanted to stop players from packet listening and came up with the wrong solution. Instead of wasting time and effort into figuring out how to detect packet sniffing, they should be putting time and effort into fixing the real problem which: too much information is sent over the wire. Players blew this way out of proportion because because Verant basically said "We don't really care if you have hacking tools...just don't use them while playing EQ" but many read much more into it. If you are going to do something questionable, shady, etc. you probably shouldn't be doing it in "plain sight" (yes, on Windows 95/98, the hard disk is plain sight...everything in Windows 95/98 is in plain sight) especially after you've been warned.
Slashdot Mirror
One of the trends in Anime today seems to be the ressurection of older shows from previous decades, recycling plots, and retooling character designs and storylines. BGC TV and AD POLICE are some of the last in this current trend.
Ever since the colapse of the OVA Market, some claim that this is a "disturbing" trend. Especially since they usually take established characters etched into fandom(at least the ones who were around to watch it the first time around ^_^) and possibly mangle them into something else.
BGC TV, fortunately, did a good job. The character designs change but the core feeling is better and more convincing. For instance, the original Nene was supposed to be a Hacker but she didn't really act like one in the OVA. She acted more like a "consultant" than a hacker. On the other hand, Nene in the revamped TV series has an appartment full of computers(which is rather messy it seems), eats bad junk food while using the computer, and has a hacking ego the size of Genom Tower. I will miss the red hair though. ^_^;
These days, I approach revamped shows like these carefully. They must remain true to "form" and yet have modern sensibilities(if that makes sense in Anime ^_^). If they do that, then I have no problem watching it. If they don't, I'll ignore them faster than DIRTY PAIR FLASH. ^_^
It does appear now that there enough Slashdot authors interested in posting Anime news that they should make an Anime Topic. If Slashdot does decide to go for it, use Anipike, EX, and A Fan's View for useful URLs. ^_^
EX right now is running a feature on BONES, the production house that brought out fine works like ESCAFLOWNE and COWBOY BEBOP. Cover art done by Kawamoto himself! ^_^
I like the interest in Anime you guys are showing. Please keep it up!
It could be said that Tenchi OAV appeals to the "geek nature." Many hidden features and silent plot points make it a story to be STUDIED as well as enjoyed. This is, among other reasons, why I enjoy Tenchi OAV over either TV season.
Some of the finer points listed here:
- Isn't it interesting that at the end of the first OAV in Tenchi's house we have:
- Sasami: Join with Tsunami(read: goddess) the source of the wonderful power that has made Jurai the largest space faring empire around.
- Mihoshi: Grandaughter to the Galaxy Police High Marshal(read: big wig) who either seems to be either the luckiest person in the galaxy or the most intelegent by faking being silly. ^_^
- Washu: Supposedly the smartest genius in the galaxy(whos only foil is Mihoshi ^_^). At least smart enough to "create" Ryoko and Ryo-ohki who are compariable to anything Jurai has to offer. Maybe has a past with Tsunami...maybe even like Sasami(ie. assimilated)!
- Aeka: The Crown Princess of Jurai: the most powerful empire in the galaxy. Enuf said. ^_^
- Ryoko: One the of the most mysterious and powerful things walking around on two legs. Only surpassed by...
- Tenchi: Has displayed powers on the level most star ships can't generate. Quite possibly the next ruler of Jurai...if he isn't careful. ^_^
So it is quite possible that assembled under one roof on Earth the future power holders of the galaxy if not already the most powerful people ever born. Coincidence? Maybe. ^_^
- Of course all of this would have been for nothing if Yosho hadn't left Jurai in the first place. Why did Yosho leave Jurai in the first place? He says he couldn't handle the predjudice because he was half human but subtilites point to more. Did Tsunami coax him to go?
- I've always thought the relationship between Ryoko and Washu would be an excellent subject to go over in a 3rd OAV.
- Of course one can not ignore the hints suggesting that Ryoko isn't the only child of Washu. Who could the other child be? Maybe its....no...its too silly to say. ^_^
- The "technology" in Tenchi is interesting too. Jurai technology is very organic where verything appears to be made of their trees(weapons, ships, etc.). Washu's technology appears to be based on crystals. Yet their power seems to work together. This supports the idea that Washu and Tsunami are even closer than any one expected.
- The Avatar Theory: Tsunami seems to have two sisters? What are they up too? What is Tsunami up too? Why bother "promoting" Jurai? The Avatar Theory is a theory that says that Tsunami is trying to "foster" an Avatar: someone from this universe that can wield their power since it seems that "assimilation" may restrict her power in this universe(if you look at Washu for comparison...assuming she is who we think she is ^_^). Washu may have Ryoko. Tsunami may have Tenchi. Tokimi has....well that is what I'm hoping is revealed in a 3rd OAV. ^_^
Some people say that the OAVs are overly complicated compared to the TV series. I instead say that the TV series dumb things way down. I revel in the insanity of the OAV story that seems to have reason if you look close enough(or maybe I'm just seeing things ^_^). In any event, I enjoy just considering the possiblities in this story much more than any story that has come along. This is why I'm very excited about a 3rd Tenchi OAV with Kajishima writing the story again.
Napster may dodge the bullet about distributing MP3s(ie. they provide a utility to distribute MP3...whether it is illegal to do so is not up to Napster to decide) but making a giantic resource/list of "trusted" individuals will make it easier for any artist to track down who is distributing their song if they chose to do so.
So insted of pestering Napster to stop their operations, artists who want to enforce their copyrights can go out and look for who is has the highest rating for distributing their songs and bust them.
Sounds like a good deal for everyone but users. I guess it doesn't matter since stealing copyrighted stuff isn't kosher in the first place.
Your first question is easy: STL isn't supported on all compilers and OS platforms correctly yet. Why let such a trival thing like dependance on STL be a show-stopping trip up for cross platform independent code?
"But gcc supports it!"
Unfortunately, gcc isn't installed everwhere nor are the underlying support libraries.
On the other hand, simple C++ features seem to be supported almost everywhere. I have no problem with abandoning nifty STL features to insure stability and correctly working platform independent code.
I believe that the next step in UI evoluation will have to happen by removing the graphics part of it.
To tell the computer what we want it to do, we use the input devices given. Type some commands. Navigate a menu. Click and icon. This is all done to tell the computer what we have in mind for it to do. Humans don't interact with each other in this manner, but given the restrictions of the hardward on a computer we are forced into this slightly alien modes of communication.
So to add new UI methodology, we need to have new devices that allow us to interface with computers and new devices to give us feedback. The goal should be to drive technology to interact more on our level instead of making us interact with computers on their.
Voice Recognition will be important in this respect. People covey tasks to each other by spoken commands. Computer should be no different.
Sight Recognition will be important too. If the computer knew what you were looking at, it may figure out what you want it to do.
Immersive 3D Enviroments also could be important. Instead of coding instructions for a computer, why not show them what you want them to do by letting them watch your actions? This could be very important for robots that assemble something.
The flip side to this is that although if you have to do anything more than "computer, add this stuff up" then you'll find it hard to express that in human terms(language, motion, etc). Just think about how hard it would be express in human language terms every piece of data flow that could be in a server side database program(like Slashdot)! It could be that keyboards and mice are going to be hanging around with us for quite awhile regardless of what advances in hardware come along.
I could never get my GeForce 2 to work under XFree 3.3.x. It could never ever display anything after and then would hose display of even simple text aftewards. Luckily I could still issue a reboot locally or remotely.
On the other hand, I went to XFree 4.0 and snagged the NVIDIA drivers and it worked on the first try. Can't ask for any more than that from the software. ^_^
Slashdot has no qualms about posting stuff to save peguins from an oily drowning death but I think they would hestitate if demons were being hunted down and destroyed by the Vatican!
Could this be yet another Linux vs BSD Slashdot issue? Kind of makes you think. ^_^
ps. What the heck is that cute demon called anyways?
How long before someone figures out how to stick a MIDI port and hardware on it for fun MIDI action? I can see it now...
"Why are you hooking your printer up to your SoundBlaster MIDI port?"
"To make it sound better."
The big question I have is how do you count how much money do you save by using OSS software instead of Microsoft software with Gnucash? ^_^
Regardless which laywer Napster brings, I'm unsure how Napster could even begin to defend themselves when they even admit to this on their web page....
Imagine...an application that takes the hassle out of searching for MP3s. No more broken links, no more slow downloads, and no more busy, disorganized FTP sites. With Napster, you can locate and download your favorite music in MP3 format from one convenient, easy-to-use interface.
So Napster wants to be responsible for helping its users to distribute MP3, but then doesn't want to be responsible for helping its user to distribute MP3? How does that logic work? How will Boise or his team defend Napster when they show some real questionable logic that is difficult to defend legally?
What is up with the KDE Crew? Don't they see the potiental dangers in there laxed licensing policy? There indifference to fix the problem doesn't reflect well on their project or their direction. Do they really not care?
For me, this is above all other reasons why I'm lery of KDE. Does Troll Tech really believe developers will blindly follow just because they write code?
Errr...when I said "Hitoshi's exploits as a Seiyuu(a voice actor/actress) are legendary and his database shows it." I meant to say..
Hitoshi's exploits as a Seiyuu(a voice actor/actress) FAN are legendary and his database shows it.
Hitoshi, as far as I know, doesn't work anywhere in the Japanese Anime industry(I think he works for DEC ^_^) and is just a fan like anyone else. If nothing else, it shows how one guy with a little hardware and programming knowledge can produce something truly useful and powerful.
I'm glad someone here brought this up. ^_^
If you are looking for some Anime resources on line, here is a short list off the top of my head:
- EX
This is a review site that reviews a ton of Anime, Anime Music, Manga(comics where a lot of Anime comes from), and other stuff(games, books, etc that are Anime related). One of the oldest and longest running online Anime e-zines.
- Hitoshi Doi's Seiyuu Database
Hitoshi's exploits as a Seiyuu(a voice actor/actress) are legendary and his database shows it. If there was a piece of animation made in Japan and there was a speaking role in it, it has been cataloged here. Great for crossref-ing your favorite actress!
Conventions(there are a bunch...to list them all would kill me ^_^)
- Anime Expo
Southern California con. Quite possibly, the "high profile Anime con" where a lot of the domestics and some of the Japanese companies make announcements.
- Anime Central
Chicago area con. Great con for those of us who live in the center of the country. ^_^;
Business...
- A.D. Films
Domestic distributor of stuff shows like Evangelion.
- Anime Village
Domestic distributor of stuff shows like Cowboy Bebop.
- Pioneer Anime
Domestic distributor of shows like Tenchi.
Finally....
- Anipike
An ambitious attempt to catalog all of the Anime content out there on the web. Has an interesting "Last Exit" column that showcases the best(and the worse) of Anime Online. This site is great to find anything and everything Anime.
It sounds like you can't even use the word "apogee" without Apogee's(r) blessing? Thanks a lot guys...now how do we describe the part of the orbit that is farthest away from the body?!
What will NASA and the International Space community do now that "apogee" (all rights reserved) has been taken away from them!? I'm just waiting for Apogee(r) to sue NASA and JPL when they do a press release on the Galileo Space Craft when it encounters Europa at its farthest point from Jupiter. ^_^;
I asked a friend the other day who is big into Napster(I unfortunately introduced it to them) why they have so many .mp3 on their machine. "Because it is free and easy." Is this the rally cry Napster wants to rally behind? Its okay as long as the masses want it cheap and free?
.mp3 fans? What about other media like video and books and art? Are you doing them such a favor by take a picture of their sculpture or painting and pushing up onto the web? There are plenty of artists who don't want their works featured in "digital media" and that should be their right. It doesn't matter what the fans want or what the fans think is convient if the creator has made a knowledgable decision about how they want to handle their creation. But enough people wave the banner "I'm really a fan and doing this helps expose them to more people" thinking they are doing the creator's a favor by robbing them of the right to control the fate of their creations.
Where does it end? Are people who download massive quantities of
And that is what is at the heart of the matter. Creators who are bringing suit against Napster aren't clueless. What they see is that one of the best features of our open soceity, the right to choose what one does with their own creation, get stomped on in the name of mass-consumer enjoyment.
We harp all over anyone or anything that violates OSS license but people go "Yea Napster!" when it comes to violating other creator's licenses? Its great if you are an artist who wants to use MP3 and they have the right to do so. Artists also have a right not to use MP3 and also have to right TO REFUSE any of Napster's "help".
Just because a group of people think that the project "isn't as cool" or "isn't as good" as another project doesn't mean they need to stop give up and throw in the towel.
GNOME != KDE just as KDE != GNOME. There are things that are great about both yet you'd be nuts to say to the other "you guys need to shut down because you don't do what the other does." The GNOME Crew thinks they are doing great and can keep going. Why should they stop now just because you think KDE rules?
What are the general zoning laws for this kind of stuff? I know that if I were to build a house today, I would insist each room have a twisted pair jack somewhere but is there a possible zoning specification to be worried about?
How is doing this different than someone making observations and critizing their actions?
Lets try this analogy: Person A is sitting in a coffee shop mind their own buisness. Another person, Person B, walks up to the Person A and asks "Can you show me child porn?" mistaking them for someone who can sell child pornos to them. Person A, having nothing to do with child pornography and is deeply and morally offended by the very thought of it, tells Person B to "go away" and then stands up in the coffee shop and says "Person B just asked me for child pornography!" Now everyone in the coffee shop knows what Person B was up too.
I am unclear how anything illegal has been done to Person B in this hypothetical example or in ZeroPaid's actions. Is there something in documentation that says "all querries are private and protected?" Gnutella had nothing to do with it...they were asking ZeroPaid for the stuff. I don't see anything particularly wrong with voicing your outrage like this and I think this is what the ZeroPaid's guys are trying to accomplish. "Freedom of Speech" doesn't mean "anonymity". Also, you don't need to see "schoolgirlxxx.jpg" to accomplish acedemic research on any subject releated to child pornography (like the pyschological damages) so I'm unclear how someone could be mistakeningly identified.
ps: I'm personally disgusted with any moral and ethical abuses like this and even more disturbed by the invoking of moral and ethical arguments in its defense! I can't imagine how anyone could believe child pornography is anything close to a "Freedom of Speech" issue. The people who produce and consume this aweful stuff are enjoying the "freedoms" at the expense of some of the weakest and most vulnerable members of our society. Bleck. >-(
Every time I read material from Mr. Stallman, I remember Socrates and what Plato said he did.
Socrates, a man with sound philosophy who argued ethics and morals, walked around his world spouting stuff that didn't make him too popular with the established crowd. Socrates went around and questioned the very belief base of his society. For that he was jeered, vilified in the mainstream, and was ultimately killed.
Here we have Stallman. From what I have read so far, he seems to have sound philosophy in his morals and ethics. He walks around the real world and puts stuff out on the Internet saying stuff that isn't very popular with the established way of "doing things". He questions the very notion of how software companies have based making their money which is selling software with proprietary code. People point at him saying he is "kooky" and a nut case. They also vilify him by saying "Open Software is for hippies...you can't make a successful business doing it."
I'm not saying that RMS is heading for the same fate Socrates is (in dying or becoming a philosopher that will be known 2400 years after his death) but it does have some interesting parallels.
"We use a lot of UNIX in the command and control centers, but we use NT for the desktop," says Quick. With
open-source software, "you could well have somebody developing a little application that they become dependent
on. The person who develops it leaves, somebody else moves in who's never seen it before. If that's your expert,
and they're now over in Saudi, you're kind of out of luck."
Loss of manpower is one thing that is completely unavoidable in the workforce. Sooner or later, you'll have to train someone else to take a position you fill today. If someone develops a nifty NT application and suddenly finds himself or herself in Saudi, then they are still stuck. How does having it on one platform or another make a difference?
Besides, in as little as 5 years, they will need to replace all of their NT stuff when Microsoft yet again "innovates" a supposed new OS(I'm sorry...NT2K at its core is still the same NT. Where is the revolutionary software?). On the other hand, BSD and Linux seem to preach a "extend the tools" philosophy. The logic here is that all of the code and design is still good...why through it away? Indeed it seems that Microsoft's business strategy is predicated on the need for deprication. So why throw away and buy from scratch(Microsoft) when you can reuse and retool(Open Software)? Especially in Fed Government groups, the Budget Axe may come back on a whim(ie. political winds) so why not go with the cheaper extendable solution?
I got to here with Netscape (I think version 4.72) to see what the Pocket IE look like but I guess I should have expected it. ^_^
I like how the author points out things have kind of come full circle. From one of the first computers to the latest versions....
The word abacus comes from the Greek word abax, a corruption of the Phoenician word abak, meaning sand. It's not surprising, then, that all computers nowadays are based on wafers of silica, the principal ingredient of sand. Or that computer-speak is Greek to most people.
This maybe a moot but it is a relavent question.
What does the currently law say are the possible penalities a judge could leavy in an anti-trust case like this?
I'm not a laywer but I'm wondering if it is even legal/constituional to try some of the solutions mentioned in here.
Is it Verant and the designers of EQ for being somewhat laxed in their design? It is one thing that the server has to tell the client where all of the dynamic objects in the world are position, it is something else to blantanly tell the client extra junk about them. There is no particular reason why the client needs to know the exact hit points of a creature. It should have been broadcast to the client as a percentage, which in the end is what the player ends up seeing. If they were really concerned about people "eavesdropping", they should have encrypted the data streams. Scanning the computer to see if hacker tools are employed is a weak attempt to stop this kind of exploit, at best, and, at worse, it is wrong.
In another sense, Verant and EQ are trying to act in the best interest of the game. How many people will continue to play a game of Chess against a person who is blantantly cheating? EQ should probably be no different. I want them to actively keep the game from descending into a hacker's paradise.
Is it the players are at fault for trying such junk in the first place? And please don't quote me "the players pay have a right to do what they want" because that isn't true. By agreeing to play any game, you agree to follow a certain framework of rules. If a cheater is playing someone in a game a real world Chess and the cheater is caught cheating, they really have no defense. EQ should be no different. The "neutral tool" argument doesn't really work here either(ie. 'hammer is a tool that does some good things and bad things...do we outlaw hammers?'). ShowEQ isn't a generic tool that has other applications. It was designed for one purpose and one purpose only. If ShowEQ was designed for "acedemic reason" that is one thing but I have a hard time believing so many people are interested in ShowEQ because it teaches useful programming skills.
In another sense, players should push Verant and the EQ Architecture to the limit. The only way the game will get better is if the players push on Verant to improve it. As mentioned before, the fact that you can listen to packets flying by and find out extra information indicates a weakness in their design. It should be pointed out that one of the useful things that came out of ShowEQ is that it was shown that reduntant information was coming back from the server. Verant did take note and said they would do something about it (although I'm unclear whether or not they actually fixed it. ^_^). How can the players do this without actually figuring out how some of the game works?
IMHO, both sides blew this way out of proportion. Verant didn't think things through when they wanted to stop players from packet listening and came up with the wrong solution. Instead of wasting time and effort into figuring out how to detect packet sniffing, they should be putting time and effort into fixing the real problem which: too much information is sent over the wire. Players blew this way out of proportion because because Verant basically said "We don't really care if you have hacking tools...just don't use them while playing EQ" but many read much more into it. If you are going to do something questionable, shady, etc. you probably shouldn't be doing it in "plain sight" (yes, on Windows 95/98, the hard disk is plain sight...everything in Windows 95/98 is in plain sight) especially after you've been warned.