Following the lead of several other companies, NSI announced today that it was patenting it's "flagship product", domain names.
"It was a logical move in today's patent-centric world", said the CEO of NSI. "We will be requiring that each person who acquires a domain name from us agree to the new license and pay a new fee; starting rates are $100,000." On mention that this seemed steep, he replied, "Hey, nobody is _forced_ to purchase a domain name. "
The new license requires, among other new terms, that the domain can not be used to publish information about internet domain names-- unless authorized by NSI.
First, I think this is an excellent idea. But we must *USE* the results. I suggest sending a copy of the petition, with signatures to major manufactures. Sending a hard copy, by registered mail (which must be accepted by hand & signed for), would be even more effective.
Secondly, we should focus on a few areas where Linux is critically lacking in drivers. By critical, I mean drivers that do not exist which are stopping potential users and administrators from using Linux. As the petition web site said, printer drivers are very lacking. Also, a lack of drivers for high-end PC graphics cards game manufactures from producing big title games ("What? Linux doesn't support the new HyperWarpBlaster 512 128meg card? Why should we develop Quake VI for Linux, then?").
Hopefully XFree86 4.0 will address this issue, but the big need to is to get these companies to release Linux (and *BSD, BeOS, etc) drivers when they release Windows drivers as well.
Arthur C. Clarke, in "2061: Oddyssey Three", refrenced an article from the journal "Nature". I don't have the book on me, or I'd give the article and page number. In brief, it said that the immense pressure inside Jupiter should crystalize carbon into diamond at the center of the planet.
Clarke used it in the book to predict the use of diamond in great quantity for industrial and space-explortaion purposes. In the book, of course, it was the Monolith & Co. who turned Jupiter into a star, thus expelling much of the diamond out into space. I doubt that we will be able to get large quantites of diamond from planetary cores for a while. =)
The report only mentioned black diamond, so I wouldn't get your hopes up for the engagement ring from Neptune. The best question is, what is the most efficient use of diamond, if we can get it like this?
Slashdot Mirror
Jan 4th, 2000-
Following the lead of several other companies, NSI announced today that it was patenting it's "flagship product", domain names.
"It was a logical move in today's patent-centric world", said the CEO of NSI. "We will be requiring that each person who acquires a domain name from us agree to the new license and pay a new fee; starting rates are $100,000."
On mention that this seemed steep, he replied, "Hey, nobody is _forced_ to purchase a domain name. "
The new license requires, among other new terms, that the domain can not be used to publish information about internet domain names-- unless authorized by NSI.
First, I think this is an excellent idea. But we must *USE* the results. I suggest sending a copy of the petition, with signatures to major manufactures. Sending a hard copy, by registered mail (which must be accepted by hand & signed for), would be even more effective.
Secondly, we should focus on a few areas where Linux is critically lacking in drivers. By critical, I mean drivers that do not exist which are stopping potential users and administrators from using Linux. As the petition web site said, printer drivers are very lacking. Also, a lack of drivers for high-end PC graphics cards game manufactures from producing big title games ("What? Linux doesn't support the new HyperWarpBlaster 512 128meg card? Why should we develop Quake VI for Linux, then?").
Hopefully XFree86 4.0 will address this issue, but the big need to is to get these companies to release Linux (and *BSD, BeOS, etc) drivers when they release Windows drivers as well.
Have I left anything out?
Arthur C. Clarke, in "2061: Oddyssey Three", refrenced an article from the journal "Nature". I don't have the book on me, or I'd give the article and page number. In brief, it said that the immense pressure inside Jupiter should crystalize carbon into diamond at the center of the planet.
Clarke used it in the book to predict the use of diamond in great quantity for industrial and space-explortaion purposes. In the book, of course, it was the Monolith & Co. who turned Jupiter into a star, thus expelling much of the diamond out into space. I doubt that we will be able to get large quantites of diamond from planetary cores for a while. =)
The report only mentioned black diamond, so I wouldn't get your hopes up for the engagement ring from Neptune. The best question is, what is the most efficient use of diamond, if we can get it like this?