The former requires immediate attention. A few days to correct the latter is an acceptable timeframe. Google just had to be faster than the folks trying to implement the exploit.
DRM is poised to intrude on our lives even more in the form of the HD-DVD/Blu-ray copy protection, Windows Vista, and the digital TV broadcast flag... isn't it about time Slashdot's least favorite acronym (besides SCO perhaps) got some bad mainstream press?
This Sony incident could help convince consumers and businesses alike that intrusive DRM is a bad idea.
Google stands to profit from SoC as well since they use so much FOSS
Um, why is this a bad reason for them to have done SoC? Open source has an altruistic element, but users (individual and corporate) also have a definite self-interested motive to contribute both code and cash. It's not a contradiction; IMHO, it seems like self-interest will help open source succeed in the long term.
Everything the mainstream media says about technology is at best misleading and oversimplified, and at worst outright bullshit. This is part of what I come to Slashdot to AVOID.
Some choice nonsense from TFA:
"The music industry is filled with creative types, and many seem to be wearing suits these days."
ROFLMAO.
"Who can blame music execs for wanting to play offense?"
Way to defend the status quo, Newsweek. Who can blame the execs? Consumers, musicians, other companies... basically everyone. 99% of Slashdot rightly believes that the old music business model is dead. Why bother with an article that assumes otherwise?
If Microsoft got their act together and made it impossible for viruses to spread on Windows
Much as I hate to defend MS, this is like saying "Oh, they just needed to make the security perfect, that's all."
Granted, Windows security sucks a hundred times more than it has to, but NOTHING is perfect.
1. Repeal the DMCA, etc. 2. Let The Market Decide (TM).
Of course that would require more honesty and intelligence from our politicians than usual... paradoxically, even moreso from *ahem* those who supposedly have faith in "the market."
a very competent web-based word processor with one killer feature: "paste from word." i've tried it and it generates pretty clean html from even complicated ms word formatting. the only thing it doesn't seem to handle well is fonts, but i still think it'd be an excellent solution.
(really unfortunate name though. worse when you realize it came from the author's initials.)
Popular pages (measured by a certain threshhold of hit count over time) are automatically put in line to be frozen. When frozen, two concurrent versions of the page exist, a "stable" version that is shown to visitors and cannot be changed, and an "unstable" version that anyone can edit. Periodically, trusted editors review the unstable versions and merge changes into the stable versions. Problem solved. Wikipedia's credibility (justifiably) skyrockets.
(Since, this is the way open source development works, why didn't they think of it before? ^_^)
Now that's a bit short-sighted. I'll bet big money that the first peripheral/add-on is an A/V red-white-yellow output so you can connect it to your TV.
<paranoia>(Or, will Apple balk at this, considering how easy that would make it to circumvent the inevitable DRM on the movies?)</paranoia>
The only constratints we have are in our habits and ways of thinking, and, ironically, in the egalitarian nature of the technology that makes remixes possible. For example, let's say someone has access to audio software and wants to remix his favorite song. The software makes it just as easy, from a technical perspective, for him to record a cover version with a new arrangement or some other unique and interesting twist. But he probably won't do that.
Why not?
1. It's not in tune with the "remix culture" zeitgeist; all his friends are cutting and pasting. Where would he get the idea? 2. He might not have the skill, or what's more, inspiration. Musical skill now "costs" more (in terms of the experience required to obtain it) than a computer and audio software. Inspiration has always been a rare trait, but technology is now commonplace.
That's not to say there's no skill in a good remix (just look at DJ Shadow), just that there are few barriers to entry keeping the unskilled folks out. It's not a constraint but rather an unintended consequence of freedom that people keep rehashing the same old songs endlessly.
<philosophical lecture> Just goes to show... don't look for progress in history, only change. </philosophical lecture>
"China is a sovereign nation and has full rights to what goes on inside their borders."
What rights are you talking about, exactly? They have full powers to enforce censorship, and full legal "rights" according to their own laws, but many would argue, obviously, that the Chinese government has no moral right to censor individuals. To state the obvious again, this is what many people think of immediately when they see the word "rights."
"If the citizens decided to overthrow their government, then I'm sure you'd see the US right there to support them."
Eh... the U.S. has historically not been too keen in fostering political instability in major trading partners...
Hate to nitpick (well, OK, I love nitpicking), but I belive GCC is LGPL'd.
Also, before you go mouthing off about the GPL, consider many open-source developers' REASON for GPL-ing their code. If they didn't, and licensed it under BSD or some such, their code could be used for purposes they completely disagree with. To make this less abstract, what if you write something brilliant and patent/litigation-loving Microsoft sporks it?
They have done this before...with trivial pieces of code, so far, but that could change. Conversely, if code is GPL'd, it stays open, its uses are transparent, and the author can rest easy.
Slashdot Mirror
What stops me from entering (say) Darl McBride's number a million times?
Nothing! Go for it, man. This is gonna be hilarious...
all they need to do is put a stop to this sort of nonsense.
But for HD-DVD/Blu-ray and SACD, all players will support DRM. It won't be nonsense then.
(At least until DVD Jon gets his hands on their so-called "encryption"... ^_^ )
actual hacking attempt != discovery of an exploit
The former requires immediate attention. A few days to correct the latter is an acceptable timeframe. Google just had to be faster than the folks trying to implement the exploit.
DRM is poised to intrude on our lives even more in the form of the HD-DVD/Blu-ray copy protection, Windows Vista, and the digital TV broadcast flag... isn't it about time Slashdot's least favorite acronym (besides SCO perhaps) got some bad mainstream press?
This Sony incident could help convince consumers and businesses alike that intrusive DRM is a bad idea.
Indeed. So science is "no longer limited to the search for natural explanations of phenomena?"
If that weren't intended seriously it would be brilliant satire.
Google stands to profit from SoC as well since they use so much FOSS
Um, why is this a bad reason for them to have done SoC? Open source has an altruistic element, but users (individual and corporate) also have a definite self-interested motive to contribute both code and cash. It's not a contradiction; IMHO, it seems like self-interest will help open source succeed in the long term.
Everything the mainstream media says about technology is at best misleading and oversimplified, and at worst outright bullshit. This is part of what I come to Slashdot to AVOID.
Some choice nonsense from TFA:
"The music industry is filled with creative types, and many seem to be wearing suits these days."
ROFLMAO.
"Who can blame music execs for wanting to play offense?"
Way to defend the status quo, Newsweek. Who can blame the execs? Consumers, musicians, other companies... basically everyone. 99% of Slashdot rightly believes that the old music business model is dead. Why bother with an article that assumes otherwise?
If Microsoft got their act together and made it impossible for viruses to spread on Windows Much as I hate to defend MS, this is like saying "Oh, they just needed to make the security perfect, that's all." Granted, Windows security sucks a hundred times more than it has to, but NOTHING is perfect.
1. Repeal the DMCA, etc.
2. Let The Market Decide (TM).
Of course that would require more honesty and intelligence from our politicians than usual... paradoxically, even moreso from *ahem* those who supposedly have faith in "the market."
Posts which are unacceptable to the mainstream are moderated down, effectively "disappearing" them to most viewers.
Right, AC, like you have any right to complain about this.
Including the notice that the article was a stub made your post so much more informative. Thank you.
Next on Slashdot: "Establishing Utopia."
http://www.fckeditor.net/
a very competent web-based word processor with one killer feature: "paste from word." i've tried it and it generates pretty clean html from even complicated ms word formatting. the only thing it doesn't seem to handle well is fonts, but i still think it'd be an excellent solution.
(really unfortunate name though. worse when you realize it came from the author's initials.)
Yeah, but does it run Li--oh wait.... Damn, there goes my post.
Popular pages (measured by a certain threshhold of hit count over time) are automatically put in line to be frozen. When frozen, two concurrent versions of the page exist, a "stable" version that is shown to visitors and cannot be changed, and an "unstable" version that anyone can edit. Periodically, trusted editors review the unstable versions and merge changes into the stable versions. Problem solved. Wikipedia's credibility (justifiably) skyrockets. (Since, this is the way open source development works, why didn't they think of it before? ^_^)
Now that's a bit short-sighted. I'll bet big money that the first peripheral/add-on is an A/V red-white-yellow output so you can connect it to your TV.
<paranoia>(Or, will Apple balk at this, considering how easy that would make it to circumvent the inevitable DRM on the movies?)</paranoia>
We love Debian too, right?
5 /06/msg00016.html
http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/200
"For those chomping at the bit for more Office 12 details" Surely this includes all of MS-loving Slashdot. I know I'm chomping. Chomp chomp chomp...
Artificial constraints?
The only constratints we have are in our habits and ways of thinking, and, ironically, in the egalitarian nature of the technology that makes remixes possible. For example, let's say someone has access to audio software and wants to remix his favorite song. The software makes it just as easy, from a technical perspective, for him to record a cover version with a new arrangement or some other unique and interesting twist. But he probably won't do that.
Why not?
1. It's not in tune with the "remix culture" zeitgeist; all his friends are cutting and pasting. Where would he get the idea?
2. He might not have the skill, or what's more, inspiration. Musical skill now "costs" more (in terms of the experience required to obtain it) than a computer and audio software. Inspiration has always been a rare trait, but technology is now commonplace.
That's not to say there's no skill in a good remix (just look at DJ Shadow), just that there are few barriers to entry keeping the unskilled folks out. It's not a constraint but rather an unintended consequence of freedom that people keep rehashing the same old songs endlessly.
<philosophical lecture>
Just goes to show... don't look for progress in history, only change.
</philosophical lecture>
"China is a sovereign nation and has full rights to what goes on inside their borders."
What rights are you talking about, exactly? They have full powers to enforce censorship, and full legal "rights" according to their own laws, but many would argue, obviously, that the Chinese government has no moral right to censor individuals. To state the obvious again, this is what many people think of immediately when they see the word "rights."
"If the citizens decided to overthrow their government, then I'm sure you'd see the US right there to support them."
Eh... the U.S. has historically not been too keen in fostering political instability in major trading partners...
Are Alliterative Headlines Hopelessly Hokey?
Search your feelings, Slashdot editors.
They will try... then you'll pull two Uzi's out of your stylish black trenchcoat and gun the bastards down before they can finish saying "Holy shit!"
You'll grab your bag of fun, MS-friendly toys as it rolls off the metal detector...and you know what to do from there. ^_^
(If Big Brother is reading this, I'm just kidding!)
Since when do the Chinese... uh... buy software? Or any intellectual property, for that matter?
Hate to nitpick (well, OK, I love nitpicking), but I belive GCC is LGPL'd. Also, before you go mouthing off about the GPL, consider many open-source developers' REASON for GPL-ing their code. If they didn't, and licensed it under BSD or some such, their code could be used for purposes they completely disagree with. To make this less abstract, what if you write something brilliant and patent/litigation-loving Microsoft sporks it? They have done this before...with trivial pieces of code, so far, but that could change. Conversely, if code is GPL'd, it stays open, its uses are transparent, and the author can rest easy.