Isn't it amazing what a little market-droid spin can do so something like this?
SCO: "We are number four in the VARBusiness TOP 5 of ALL ENTERPRISE VENDORS! WE ARE NUMBER 4 of all!!!! WOOOOOT!!! (small print: VARBuisiness only surveyed 5 vendors in this category)"
VARBusiness ARC: "SCO should apply some of the money it's shelling out in legal fees in its suit against IBM and Linux users to its channel efforts. The company's ARC scores were a train wreck in the enterprise operating systems category. Who cares what line of code is buried inside some obscure Linux program that can trace its roots to IBM's Unix license dating back to the Partridge Family? SCO partners clearly don't appreciate the company's products."
See?? SEE??? You just CAN'T make this stuff up! Well, SCO can. But then again, it really seems as though a prerequisit for being hired there is borderline personality disorder, delusions of grandeur, or paranoid delusions.
"We understand (BayStar general partner Larry Goldfarb is) disappointed that the stock price has been going downward lately," Stowell said. "We haven't been real excited about that ourselves. But we believe the long-term prospects of the company are good."
indeed... like I said, I have no issue with having ideals, and standing up for them... but do so in a constructive way. What he did was just silly, and useless.
Now, if you read the article, notice the mentioning of Ashcroftproof Linux... now THAT is something constructive AND serves as a protest at the same time. THAT is a good idea. What he did by stepping down was not.
Then again, after reading the interview a couple times, it really sounds more like he just didnt agree with where the LUG wanted to go, and it had nothing to do with the war. He is just using that as an excuse to grand stand.
sorry, but he really sounds fake in that regard... The interview reads like:
"Oh, the LUG isnt going where I wanted it to go. I am going to quit.
Oh, By the way! THE WAR IS BAD!"
At least thats what I got out of it... but Ashcroftproof LInux sounds really cool... wonder where I can send some money for some media...
I am sorry, he may be the nicest guy in the world, and could even be Linus' long lost twin brother, but what an idiot.
What does GPL software have to do with the war in Iraq? What does the military's use of Linux have to do with anything related to Iraq?
Nothing.
Sorry, but if you really want to protest something, and involve Linux, then protest China. Sorry, but China has one of the worst human rights records of modern history, and is also, on a national level, one of the largest proponenets of Linux development and use in the world.
But no, Heaven forbid someone he doesnt like uses Linux. Those damned military guys! they should all use SCO UnixWare instead! (evil grin)
Get a grip... there are far more important things to protest/worry about, and do you really think that ANYONE outside a very small group (compared to the rest of the populace of the US) will care that the president of LULA resigned because the Military likes Linux?
Sorry, but while I do have great respect for people with convictions, I liave little respect for people who do the wrong things for attention.
Its not the fact that a large contingent of people resent that the govt doesn't make it easy to get drugs...
well, to some it is... but for most of us, its simply that the Gov't is spending BILLIONS of dollars each year going after users, and small time pushers, and RARELY doing anything about the supply.
I would be much happier with the "War on Drugs" if they actually got tangible results, instead of merely filling the prison system with kids who wanted to get high, and junkies who couldnt get the help they needed to get off the shit in the first place.
Its pointless to go after common street dealers and junkies... there are millions of them. but few suppliers. If you cut off the supply, the rest follows suit.
He may know what he's doing, but even he can not withstand the slashdot effect...
anyone have a mirror for the sites listed in the original article?
Hrmmm take advantage of them??
on
Paid To Spam
·
· Score: 1
Step 1, set up 3 or 4 boxen on lan Step 2, allow spammers to pay you for CPU hours Step 3, have all outgoing traffic routed through a box that sends all outgoing smtp traffic to dev/null Step 4: PROFIT!!!!
Now you can implant your child with the new profanity sensing V-chip. Yes, you child can grow up happy, healty, and wholesome thanks to this new technology. The V-Chip is implanted directly into your childs brain and will emit a tiny negative reinforcement whenever your child attempts to utter an obscenity, disobey, or otherwise act like a child of his or her age.
Also for adults, the Viagra-Chip, and for Politicians, the VAccountablility chip. Working with Pfiser, the Viagra-Chip, when implanted in the adult brain, will stimulate sexual desire and promote long term erections, overcoming such things as headaches, modesty, impotence and other debilitating male problems.
The Politican version will emit a tiny negative reinforcement every time a politican attempts to lie to the public, or attempts to promote or approve of a policy in which he or she will do everything possible to avoid accountability.
Coming soon, built in GPS, public registration numbers, ATM and bank account numbers, and even a full, updated copy of your credit history. Now all you need to do is wave a wand over your head to get instant loan approval!
(The U.S. Governemt endorses the GPS/ID enabled V-Chip implant, but swears to God that they will not use it to track, monitor, or otherwise ride herd on any U.S. Citizen. They really mean it. The promise! Cross their hearts and hope to die.)
this just makes me wonder about the legality of this... Not that I disagree... few things irk me more when out at a restaurant or movie than a cell phone ringing... I leave mine in the car or turn it off out of courtesy, why cant everyone else?
anyway... the way I see it is this:
This is a device which transmits on the same frequencies as cell phones. Now, Cell phones are FCC licensed devices licensed to transmit in that range (800MHz range). This device, AFAICT is NOT licensed... which means, that If I were a cell user, the cell company's FCC license rights extend to me in one form or another, I could, under part 15 rules, require that the restaurant using such a device turn it off due to its direct interference with my licensed device. Failure to comply could be met with a complaint to the FCC, followed by an investigation, fines, etc etc.
SO, I guess the question is, since technically any jamming device is illegal (which is why true radar jammers are illegal in your car) AND having this device, or any cell-phone jamming device is against part 15 rules unless licensed by the FCC, what is to stop cell phone companies from suing restaurants, movie theaters, etc who employ these devices. After all, if the FCC finds that the device is not licensed AND caused harmful interference, the people using the device could face severe fines, and jail time even, AND would be open to civil litigation...
it seems like a big can of worms, but I just wonder about the legality of these things, AND whether or not they can be sued for any interference to the licensed cell signals...
Researchers also tested a so-called "active" system in which the vehicle would actually adjust the steering automatically if it veered too far one way or the other."
Driver: Holy Crap! Theres a large boulder in the middle of the road! Driver swerves to avoid boulder. Car corrects back into original path, head on to the boulder. Driver: What the hell! Car: I'm sorry Dave. I'm afraid I cant let you do that.
A-men to that... I would LOVE to see "real" sci-fi show up in movies instead of just making movies based on pop-culture... however, Metroid sells, Martian Chronicles does not.
Personally, I would love to see several of Robert Heinlein's novels and short stories adapted (Door into Summer, Cat who could walk through walls, Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Methusela's Children)... and even would like to see a series based on Lazarus Long...
That will never happen, just like a movie based on Stranger in a Strange Lane will never happen. Just how far do you think a movie based on a Martian come to earth as the messiah (with the grokking, and incest and such that is present throughout the book? OMG, just imagine a Baldwin talking about how he groks God... )
Sure there are plenty of really good sci-fi books... and to be honest, I am very looking forward to I-Robot... even if it does look like another bad movie-isation a la Minority Report.
But as I said, the fact is, things like Metroid and such sell tickets to a larger audience than things like Heinlein, Asimov, and other such notables.
Is this another ploy from Microsoft to not look like the bad guy, or do you think they are embracing on the Open Source movement?
This is just the first step before they "Extend" Open Source...
Really... I mean, it is nice to hope that the giant evil creature has had a change of heart, but I don't think the grinch's heart has grown three sizes this day.
IMHO, it boils down to MS with one hand behind the back holding one thing, and the other hand waving all over the place whilst Ballmer dances around on stage in his MonkeyBoy best screaming "Shiny!! Shiny! Look over here! Shiny!!!"
MS has as much admitted that they really cant beat an open model, and I do really imagine that at some level there are people within the corporate structure that are starting to question the "Way we've always done things" as those things are starting to not work quite so well...
But releasing one tool to Sourceforge is NOT a turnaround, nor is it even a first step. Hell... just look at SCO/Caldera... went from a bonafide Linux distributor to all out enemy of "All We Hold Dear and Self Evident"[TM]{Patent Pending}.
First off, why is it never mentioned that there has been a significant increase in video game RENTALS in the last few years as more and more video stores (esp the Mom&Pop rental stores) start stocking more and more games? Hell, why should I pay 50+ for a game for my PS2 that I can rent for 5 days for 4.95? I usually have the games I play beat in under 10 days, so for 10 bucks, I get the game, get the play, and dont get stuck with a disk I dont want afterwards.
As for Mod chips, I dont have a modded PS2 or XBox yet, but if I did, the sole reason would be to play imports from Japan. There are some pretty slick games in Japan that will never make it to market here simply because of the cultural differences. So what choice do I have? Move to Japan, or a Mod chip... since technically, it is illegal for me to go to Japan, buy a PS2, XBox, or GameCube, then bring it back into the country with assorted games.
Maybe if game companies, like the DVDCCA would get their heads out of their arses for a bit, and realize that the very idea of region coding is stupid, and that gamers are getting tired of paying 50+ per game, for games that are NOT that expensive to design anymore, lower the prices and get rid of the stupid region coding crap.
I mean, if a new game comes out, that is truely new, with a new engine, new graphics, etc, then yeah, its probably worth 50 bucks or so. But a sequal, or a sequal to a sequal, running on the same base code that the original did, with the only real changes being maps, images and avatars, is NOT worth 50 bucks.
I certainly would not pay new car price to get my old car re-painted, so why should I pay new game price to get my old game re-mapped?
On the other hand, being open does not mean sharing everything. There are portions of RHEL that can not be freely and openly exchanged, and until recently YAST was also closed.
I never said anything like that...I said the Farmers shared SOME things. Of course the farmer with the prize winning 200 pound head of lettuce is NOT going to give away his secret, but he WILL at least help others out who cant get anything to grow at all... That was the analogy.
Your analogy, while appropriate in some regards, boils down to people that do things I like are like farmers and those that don't are just savage animals.
Oddly enough, the "Dog Eat Dog World" idea sprang, IIRC from corporate culture in the past few decades. Farmers didnt come up with the idea of fierce competetion, and decimating the competitor. Corporations did. Hence VHS v, BetaMax, and other ideas. Personally, the way many large corporations act, I think it is highly appropos. Besides, it was an analogy, and the way business is conducted is somewhat savage when you get down to it.
Look at Oracle and PeopleSoft. Oracle lost again and again in the US, and are now trying to talk the EU into getting behind a takeover that PeopleSoft does not want, nor their shareholders. Tell me that is civilised?
The wars may not always be fought with rifle and sword, some of the most important and telling battles are fought with the pen and mouth.
Besides, its an analogy, a simile, not a metaphor.
simile == like or as (he smelled like a tuna) metaphor == direct comparison (he was a tuna)
Actually, that image did come to mind when I wrote that... although I am not sure if the image of Linus in over-alls, sitting on a hay bale in the back of a 65 Ford 4x4, with a shotgun in one hand, and a 6-pack in the other screamin' "Yee Haw!" is funny, or scary...;-)
Not sure I would look at it that way... although I do very readily admit it is difficult to get out of bankruptcy without A: folding, or B: being bought out/liquidated.
I tend to view OSS companies more like the farmer's market. In small towns and country settings you have the farmer's market. All the farmers come there to sell their produce, eggs, honey, etc. they all pretty much have the same things (tomatoes, beets, lettuce, eggs, etc) and so all are basically in competetion with each other. HOWEVER, listen in when the farmers are talking to each other, and you will find that they very readily help each other out with tips, advice, and even labor. Even though they are technically competing with each other, they share what they know amongst themselves to assist their neighbors.
Open Source is a lot like that. Red Hat may be in direct competition with Mandrake and SuSE/now Novell, but at the same time, work done on Red Hat linux ends up in each of the others to some degree, and vice versa.
The proprietary world is more like a pack of wild dogs... they run in packs together until they find prey, then its every dog for himself, and the weakest is killed/devoured by the pack, or left behind to die alone and be picked apart by scavengers.
Now the true test is when the Farmer competes against the wild dogs. Farmer usually wins in the end, because the farmers all band together, track the pack of wild dogs, and remove them from the equation. Thus ALL the farmers livestock is safe.
Not a big fan of Mandrake, personally, but cheers to them for getting back on their feet. The more OSS companies there are at the farmers market, the more endangered the pack of dogs becomes.
Nah, thats GPL, which is also found to cause anarchy and the destruction of the free world and the coming of our communist overlords:)
P2P causes hyperactivity in children, cavities, and seizures in laboratory animals. Oh, it can also cause male pattern baldness, and is not an acceptable substitute for herbal Viagra.
Sorry to say, this shouldn't be that shocking. For the last few years, we have all seen television quality fall through the floor.
Instead of blaming Nielson's ratings, perhaps these TV execs should look at their own programming. I mean, if you look at primetime anymore, you have very few options on the major networks, like NBC, ABC, Fox, WB, etc: Reality TV shows (rehashed versions of the same old crap), News Shows (Rehashed versions of the same news stories with too much sensationalism and not enough real news), Cop/Lawyer dramas (How many different spinoffs of Law and Order CAN one network put on the air in one week?), and senseless "hip, urban comedy" (Dave Chappel show, Hugleys, etc etc, that all seem desperate to try to be Fresh Prince of Bel Aire, and others that came before, with nothing really new, exciting, or even original in their scripts, acting, or casting.
I mean, look at the Comedy trends these days. [White suburbanites/black innercity/hispanic] person and group of [multiracial or uniracial] friends discuss [the days events, sex, money, school, other pressing topic] in humorous [vignettes, soliloquy, anecdotes] while surviving in [unreal urban/suburban/barrio] setting and much hilarity ensues.
Same with the tv crime drama... I mean, how many of those are there? Law and Order, law and order CI, law and order SVU, CSI, CSI Miami, NYPD Blue, etc etc... I mean, the ONLY original cop drama I have seen in years (since Miami Vice, actually, and like it or not, it WAS original and set the bar for cop shows to come) was The Shield. In that show, you never quite knew if the star was a good cop or a bad cop...
All channels have reality shows now that are all the same thing [mixed group of people] go to [exotic but clautrophobic area], are forced to [compete with other groups or each other or work as team], and are aired solely for [fights, arguements, drunken moments, crying, etc].
Fox has little right to complain at all. Fox used to be the one with the original programming. And for a while they got back to it with 24, but for the most part, Fox shows the same crap as everyone else. WB is the same. Seems that every time WB gets a good show, Buffy, Angel, etc, they cancel it, and that show is bought up by UPN who keeps it going. Fox and WB adn UPN all have the same comedies (all pretty much black urban comedies, or repeats of Friends), and their sportscasting sucks.
Just like the Music Industry, only the TV networks dont have Napster and Kazaa to blame for declining vierwership.
They also seem to have applied for patents on: Spam Filters: http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Pars er?Sect1=P TO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.h tml&r=3&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=Shuster.IN.&s2= Brian.IN.&OS=IN/Shuster+AND+IN/Brian&RS=IN/Shuster +AND+IN/Brian
Conducting DNS (affects anyone who provides DNS services): http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Pa rser?Sect1=P TO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.h tml&r=10&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=Shuster.IN.&s2 =Brian.IN.&OS=IN/Shuster+AND+IN/Brian&RS=IN/Shuste r+AND+IN/Brian
portions of IMAP, Active Directory, NIS, etc: http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?S ect1=P TO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.h tml&r=3&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=Shuster.IN.&s2= Gary.IN.&OS=IN/Shuster+AND+IN/Gary&RS=IN/Shuster+A ND+IN/Gary
Similar to Traffic Shaping above, but looks to be increased to cover group collaboration on files (CVS anyone?, group access to databases, documents, html files, etc): http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser? Sect1=P TO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.h tml&r=7&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=Shuster.IN.&s2= Gary.IN.&OS=IN/Shuster+AND+IN/Gary&RS=IN/Shuster+A ND+IN/Gary
Personally, this really sounds to me like an entire company based on abuse of the patent system. Another SCO in the making...
Actually, this relates to a thought I had a while back after reading some of the more rediculous patents OKed by the PTO.
What would you all say to an Open Source Patent group? This group could be made of researchers and inventors who actually have good ideas, or even ideas already in place (if they are the originators of those ideas).
The group would then file and fund the patent application process, and if the patent is granted, they would either sit on the patent and then sue anyone who tries to claim infringement, or B: release the patent into the public domain for all to use freely without fear of legal action.
After all, if someone had patented this subdomain schema, web URLs, and other things in this manner, then a lot of this silliness would not be occuring, and we could all go about our daily lives.
Now I dont mean to destroy the patenting system with this, after patents ARE Good Things[tm, patent pending] when used appropriately. However, to patent something fairly obvious, sit on it for 10 years, and THEN come about and start suing people is a bit silly.
The one thing that bugs me about this is that he did what he thought was best for his company. His job is ensuring the company's survival. Period. Ideals have a place and time, but ideals also do not put food on the table, pay the rent or mortgage, and do not ensure continued employment.
Now do I think he made the right choice? No, I think the idea of purchasing licenses from SCO was dead wrong. But I do NOT think this because of some idealistic idea I have about the SCO IP thing. I think it was wrong simply because so far, the legitimacy of SCO's IP claims is seriously questionable. Were I in that postition, I would NOT be paying money based on IP claims that are still in dispute.
That he did, is akin to me paying a license fee to Coca-Cola for use of the Pepsi formula. (assuming that Coke sued Pepsi claiming that Pepsi includes Coke's IP).
As I said, he did what he felt was in the best interests of his company, which is exactly what his is paid to do. I still think it was the wrong decision, BUT to fault him, and berate the company merely on an idealistic viewpoint is also equally wrong.
Its almost like people who refuse to buy a Honda because Honda is a Japanese car. Instead they spend money on a Ford (made with 80% foreign parts). They never stop to think that the Honda is built in Kentucky by American workers.
Slashdot Mirror
Isn't it amazing what a little market-droid spin can do so something like this?
SCO: "We are number four in the VARBusiness TOP 5 of ALL ENTERPRISE VENDORS! WE ARE NUMBER 4 of all!!!! WOOOOOT!!! (small print: VARBuisiness only surveyed 5 vendors in this category)"
VARBusiness ARC: "SCO should apply some of the money it's shelling out in legal fees in its suit against IBM and Linux users to its channel efforts. The company's ARC scores were a train wreck in the enterprise operating systems category. Who cares what line of code is buried inside some obscure Linux program that can trace its roots to IBM's Unix license dating back to the Partridge Family? SCO partners clearly don't appreciate the company's products."
See?? SEE??? You just CAN'T make this stuff up! Well, SCO can. But then again, it really seems as though a prerequisit for being hired there is borderline personality disorder, delusions of grandeur, or paranoid delusions.
Sorry djh. If we have to explain it to you, it just isn't funny anymore.
"We understand (BayStar general partner Larry Goldfarb is) disappointed that the stock price has been going downward lately," Stowell said. "We haven't been real excited about that ourselves. But we believe the long-term prospects of the company are good."
Good for me to POOP ON!
indeed... like I said, I have no issue with having ideals, and standing up for them... but do so in a constructive way. What he did was just silly, and useless.
:
Now, if you read the article, notice the mentioning of Ashcroftproof Linux... now THAT is something constructive AND serves as a protest at the same time. THAT is a good idea. What he did by stepping down was not.
Then again, after reading the interview a couple times, it really sounds more like he just didnt agree with where the LUG wanted to go, and it had nothing to do with the war. He is just using that as an excuse to grand stand.
sorry, but he really sounds fake in that regard... The interview reads like
"Oh, the LUG isnt going where I wanted it to go. I am going to quit.
Oh, By the way! THE WAR IS BAD!"
At least thats what I got out of it... but Ashcroftproof LInux sounds really cool... wonder where I can send some money for some media...
Jeff
I am sorry, he may be the nicest guy in the world, and could even be Linus' long lost twin brother, but what an idiot.
What does GPL software have to do with the war in Iraq? What does the military's use of Linux have to do with anything related to Iraq?
Nothing.
Sorry, but if you really want to protest something, and involve Linux, then protest China. Sorry, but China has one of the worst human rights records of modern history, and is also, on a national level, one of the largest proponenets of Linux development and use in the world.
But no, Heaven forbid someone he doesnt like uses Linux. Those damned military guys! they should all use SCO UnixWare instead! (evil grin)
Get a grip... there are far more important things to protest/worry about, and do you really think that ANYONE outside a very small group (compared to the rest of the populace of the US) will care that the president of LULA resigned because the Military likes Linux?
Sorry, but while I do have great respect for people with convictions, I liave little respect for people who do the wrong things for attention.
Its not the fact that a large contingent of people resent that the govt doesn't make it easy to get drugs...
well, to some it is... but for most of us, its simply that the Gov't is spending BILLIONS of dollars each year going after users, and small time pushers, and RARELY doing anything about the supply.
I would be much happier with the "War on Drugs" if they actually got tangible results, instead of merely filling the prison system with kids who wanted to get high, and junkies who couldnt get the help they needed to get off the shit in the first place.
Its pointless to go after common street dealers and junkies... there are millions of them. but few suppliers. If you cut off the supply, the rest follows suit.
He may know what he's doing, but even he can not withstand the slashdot effect...
anyone have a mirror for the sites listed in the original article?
Step 1, set up 3 or 4 boxen on lan
Step 2, allow spammers to pay you for CPU hours
Step 3, have all outgoing traffic routed through a box that sends all outgoing smtp traffic to dev/null
Step 4: PROFIT!!!!
Now you can implant your child with the new profanity sensing V-chip. Yes, you child can grow up happy, healty, and wholesome thanks to this new technology. The V-Chip is implanted directly into your childs brain and will emit a tiny negative reinforcement whenever your child attempts to utter an obscenity, disobey, or otherwise act like a child of his or her age.
Also for adults, the Viagra-Chip, and for Politicians, the VAccountablility chip. Working with Pfiser, the Viagra-Chip, when implanted in the adult brain, will stimulate sexual desire and promote long term erections, overcoming such things as headaches, modesty, impotence and other debilitating male problems.
The Politican version will emit a tiny negative reinforcement every time a politican attempts to lie to the public, or attempts to promote or approve of a policy in which he or she will do everything possible to avoid accountability.
Coming soon, built in GPS, public registration numbers, ATM and bank account numbers, and even a full, updated copy of your credit history. Now all you need to do is wave a wand over your head to get instant loan approval!
(The U.S. Governemt endorses the GPS/ID enabled V-Chip implant, but swears to God that they will not use it to track, monitor, or otherwise ride herd on any U.S. Citizen. They really mean it. The promise! Cross their hearts and hope to die.)
this just makes me wonder about the legality of this... Not that I disagree... few things irk me more when out at a restaurant or movie than a cell phone ringing... I leave mine in the car or turn it off out of courtesy, why cant everyone else?
anyway... the way I see it is this:
This is a device which transmits on the same frequencies as cell phones. Now, Cell phones are FCC licensed devices licensed to transmit in that range (800MHz range). This device, AFAICT is NOT licensed... which means, that If I were a cell user, the cell company's FCC license rights extend to me in one form or another, I could, under part 15 rules, require that the restaurant using such a device turn it off due to its direct interference with my licensed device. Failure to comply could be met with a complaint to the FCC, followed by an investigation, fines, etc etc.
SO, I guess the question is, since technically any jamming device is illegal (which is why true radar jammers are illegal in your car) AND having this device, or any cell-phone jamming device is against part 15 rules unless licensed by the FCC, what is to stop cell phone companies from suing restaurants, movie theaters, etc who employ these devices. After all, if the FCC finds that the device is not licensed AND caused harmful interference, the people using the device could face severe fines, and jail time even, AND would be open to civil litigation...
it seems like a big can of worms, but I just wonder about the legality of these things, AND whether or not they can be sued for any interference to the licensed cell signals...
Researchers also tested a so-called "active" system in which the vehicle would actually adjust the steering automatically if it veered too far one way or the other."
Driver: Holy Crap! Theres a large boulder in the middle of the road!
Driver swerves to avoid boulder.
Car corrects back into original path, head on to the boulder.
Driver: What the hell!
Car: I'm sorry Dave. I'm afraid I cant let you do that.
A-men to that... I would LOVE to see "real" sci-fi show up in movies instead of just making movies based on pop-culture... however, Metroid sells, Martian Chronicles does not.
Personally, I would love to see several of Robert Heinlein's novels and short stories adapted (Door into Summer, Cat who could walk through walls, Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Methusela's Children)... and even would like to see a series based on Lazarus Long...
That will never happen, just like a movie based on Stranger in a Strange Lane will never happen. Just how far do you think a movie based on a Martian come to earth as the messiah (with the grokking, and incest and such that is present throughout the book? OMG, just imagine a Baldwin talking about how he groks God... )
Sure there are plenty of really good sci-fi books... and to be honest, I am very looking forward to I-Robot... even if it does look like another bad movie-isation a la Minority Report.
But as I said, the fact is, things like Metroid and such sell tickets to a larger audience than things like Heinlein, Asimov, and other such notables.
Is this another ploy from Microsoft to not look like the bad guy, or do you think they are embracing on the Open Source movement?
This is just the first step before they "Extend" Open Source...
Really... I mean, it is nice to hope that the giant evil creature has had a change of heart, but I don't think the grinch's heart has grown three sizes this day.
IMHO, it boils down to MS with one hand behind the back holding one thing, and the other hand waving all over the place whilst Ballmer dances around on stage in his MonkeyBoy best screaming "Shiny!! Shiny! Look over here! Shiny!!!"
MS has as much admitted that they really cant beat an open model, and I do really imagine that at some level there are people within the corporate structure that are starting to question the "Way we've always done things" as those things are starting to not work quite so well...
But releasing one tool to Sourceforge is NOT a turnaround, nor is it even a first step. Hell... just look at SCO/Caldera... went from a bonafide Linux distributor to all out enemy of "All We Hold Dear and Self Evident"[TM]{Patent Pending}.
No NO NO! Everyone knows its GNU/MissileDefense, not MissileDefense!
First off, why is it never mentioned that there has been a significant increase in video game RENTALS in the last few years as more and more video stores (esp the Mom&Pop rental stores) start stocking more and more games? Hell, why should I pay 50+ for a game for my PS2 that I can rent for 5 days for 4.95? I usually have the games I play beat in under 10 days, so for 10 bucks, I get the game, get the play, and dont get stuck with a disk I dont want afterwards.
As for Mod chips, I dont have a modded PS2 or XBox yet, but if I did, the sole reason would be to play imports from Japan. There are some pretty slick games in Japan that will never make it to market here simply because of the cultural differences. So what choice do I have? Move to Japan, or a Mod chip... since technically, it is illegal for me to go to Japan, buy a PS2, XBox, or GameCube, then bring it back into the country with assorted games.
Maybe if game companies, like the DVDCCA would get their heads out of their arses for a bit, and realize that the very idea of region coding is stupid, and that gamers are getting tired of paying 50+ per game, for games that are NOT that expensive to design anymore, lower the prices and get rid of the stupid region coding crap.
I mean, if a new game comes out, that is truely new, with a new engine, new graphics, etc, then yeah, its probably worth 50 bucks or so. But a sequal, or a sequal to a sequal, running on the same base code that the original did, with the only real changes being maps, images and avatars, is NOT worth 50 bucks.
I certainly would not pay new car price to get my old car re-painted, so why should I pay new game price to get my old game re-mapped?
On the other hand, being open does not mean sharing everything. There are portions of RHEL that can not be freely and openly exchanged, and until recently YAST was also closed.
I never said anything like that...I said the Farmers shared SOME things. Of course the farmer with the prize winning 200 pound head of lettuce is NOT going to give away his secret, but he WILL at least help others out who cant get anything to grow at all... That was the analogy.
Your analogy, while appropriate in some regards, boils down to people that do things I like are like farmers and those that don't are just savage animals.
Oddly enough, the "Dog Eat Dog World" idea sprang, IIRC from corporate culture in the past few decades. Farmers didnt come up with the idea of fierce competetion, and decimating the competitor. Corporations did. Hence VHS v, BetaMax, and other ideas. Personally, the way many large corporations act, I think it is highly appropos. Besides, it was an analogy, and the way business is conducted is somewhat savage when you get down to it.
Look at Oracle and PeopleSoft. Oracle lost again and again in the US, and are now trying to talk the EU into getting behind a takeover that PeopleSoft does not want, nor their shareholders. Tell me that is civilised?
The wars may not always be fought with rifle and sword, some of the most important and telling battles are fought with the pen and mouth.
Besides, its an analogy, a simile, not a metaphor.
simile == like or as (he smelled like a tuna)
metaphor == direct comparison (he was a tuna)
Cheers
Actually, that image did come to mind when I wrote that... although I am not sure if the image of Linus in over-alls, sitting on a hay bale in the back of a 65 Ford 4x4, with a shotgun in one hand, and a 6-pack in the other screamin' "Yee Haw!" is funny, or scary... ;-)
Not sure I would look at it that way... although I do very readily admit it is difficult to get out of bankruptcy without A: folding, or B: being bought out/liquidated.
I tend to view OSS companies more like the farmer's market. In small towns and country settings you have the farmer's market. All the farmers come there to sell their produce, eggs, honey, etc. they all pretty much have the same things (tomatoes, beets, lettuce, eggs, etc) and so all are basically in competetion with each other. HOWEVER, listen in when the farmers are talking to each other, and you will find that they very readily help each other out with tips, advice, and even labor. Even though they are technically competing with each other, they share what they know amongst themselves to assist their neighbors.
Open Source is a lot like that. Red Hat may be in direct competition with Mandrake and SuSE/now Novell, but at the same time, work done on Red Hat linux ends up in each of the others to some degree, and vice versa.
The proprietary world is more like a pack of wild dogs... they run in packs together until they find prey, then its every dog for himself, and the weakest is killed/devoured by the pack, or left behind to die alone and be picked apart by scavengers.
Now the true test is when the Farmer competes against the wild dogs. Farmer usually wins in the end, because the farmers all band together, track the pack of wild dogs, and remove them from the equation. Thus ALL the farmers livestock is safe.
Not a big fan of Mandrake, personally, but cheers to them for getting back on their feet. The more OSS companies there are at the farmers market, the more endangered the pack of dogs becomes.
that P2P causes Cancer?
:)
Nah, thats GPL, which is also found to cause anarchy and the destruction of the free world and the coming of our communist overlords
P2P causes hyperactivity in children, cavities, and seizures in laboratory animals. Oh, it can also cause male pattern baldness, and is not an acceptable substitute for herbal Viagra.
Sorry to say, this shouldn't be that shocking. For the last few years, we have all seen television quality fall through the floor.
Instead of blaming Nielson's ratings, perhaps these TV execs should look at their own programming. I mean, if you look at primetime anymore, you have very few options on the major networks, like NBC, ABC, Fox, WB, etc: Reality TV shows (rehashed versions of the same old crap), News Shows (Rehashed versions of the same news stories with too much sensationalism and not enough real news), Cop/Lawyer dramas (How many different spinoffs of Law and Order CAN one network put on the air in one week?), and senseless "hip, urban comedy" (Dave Chappel show, Hugleys, etc etc, that all seem desperate to try to be Fresh Prince of Bel Aire, and others that came before, with nothing really new, exciting, or even original in their scripts, acting, or casting.
I mean, look at the Comedy trends these days. [White suburbanites/black innercity/hispanic] person and group of [multiracial or uniracial] friends discuss [the days events, sex, money, school, other pressing topic] in humorous [vignettes, soliloquy, anecdotes] while surviving in [unreal urban/suburban/barrio] setting and much hilarity ensues.
Same with the tv crime drama... I mean, how many of those are there? Law and Order, law and order CI, law and order SVU, CSI, CSI Miami, NYPD Blue, etc etc... I mean, the ONLY original cop drama I have seen in years (since Miami Vice, actually, and like it or not, it WAS original and set the bar for cop shows to come) was The Shield. In that show, you never quite knew if the star was a good cop or a bad cop...
All channels have reality shows now that are all the same thing [mixed group of people] go to [exotic but clautrophobic area], are forced to [compete with other groups or each other or work as team], and are aired solely for [fights, arguements, drunken moments, crying, etc].
Fox has little right to complain at all. Fox used to be the one with the original programming. And for a while they got back to it with 24, but for the most part, Fox shows the same crap as everyone else. WB is the same. Seems that every time WB gets a good show, Buffy, Angel, etc, they cancel it, and that show is bought up by UPN who keeps it going. Fox and WB adn UPN all have the same comedies (all pretty much black urban comedies, or repeats of Friends), and their sportscasting sucks.
Just like the Music Industry, only the TV networks dont have Napster and Kazaa to blame for declining vierwership.
Spam Filters and such
Conducting DNS (nameservers and domain hosting)
Traffic Shaping (limiting packet speed and file sizes transferred)
NIS, IMAP, Active Directory
CVS, group collaboration, etc
They also seem to have applied for patents on:s er?Sect1=P TO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.h tml&r=3&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=Shuster.IN.&s2= Brian.IN.&OS=IN/Shuster+AND+IN/Brian&RS=IN/Shuster +AND+IN/Brian
a rser?Sect1=P TO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.h tml&r=10&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=Shuster.IN.&s2 =Brian.IN.&OS=IN/Shuster+AND+IN/Brian&RS=IN/Shuste r+AND+IN/Brian
- Parser?Sect1=P TO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.h tml&r=2&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=Shuster.IN.&s2= Gary.IN.&OS=IN/Shuster+AND+IN/Gary&RS=IN/Shuster+A ND+IN/Gary
S ect1=P TO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.h tml&r=3&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=Shuster.IN.&s2= Gary.IN.&OS=IN/Shuster+AND+IN/Gary&RS=IN/Shuster+A ND+IN/Gary
? Sect1=P TO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.h tml&r=7&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=Shuster.IN.&s2= Gary.IN.&OS=IN/Shuster+AND+IN/Gary&RS=IN/Shuster+A ND+IN/Gary
Spam Filters:
http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Par
Conducting DNS (affects anyone who provides DNS services):
http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-P
Traffic Shaping, and bandwidth limitations:
http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph
portions of IMAP, Active Directory, NIS, etc:
http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?
Similar to Traffic Shaping above, but looks to be increased to cover group collaboration on files (CVS anyone?, group access to databases, documents, html files, etc):
http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser
Personally, this really sounds to me like an entire company based on abuse of the patent system. Another SCO in the making...
Actually, this relates to a thought I had a while back after reading some of the more rediculous patents OKed by the PTO.
What would you all say to an Open Source Patent group? This group could be made of researchers and inventors who actually have good ideas, or even ideas already in place (if they are the originators of those ideas).
The group would then file and fund the patent application process, and if the patent is granted, they would either sit on the patent and then sue anyone who tries to claim infringement, or B: release the patent into the public domain for all to use freely without fear of legal action.
After all, if someone had patented this subdomain schema, web URLs, and other things in this manner, then a lot of this silliness would not be occuring, and we could all go about our daily lives.
Now I dont mean to destroy the patenting system with this, after patents ARE Good Things[tm, patent pending] when used appropriately. However, to patent something fairly obvious, sit on it for 10 years, and THEN come about and start suing people is a bit silly.
Do not taunt aqueous buckyball!!
The one thing that bugs me about this is that he did what he thought was best for his company. His job is ensuring the company's survival. Period. Ideals have a place and time, but ideals also do not put food on the table, pay the rent or mortgage, and do not ensure continued employment.
Now do I think he made the right choice? No, I think the idea of purchasing licenses from SCO was dead wrong. But I do NOT think this because of some idealistic idea I have about the SCO IP thing. I think it was wrong simply because so far, the legitimacy of SCO's IP claims is seriously questionable. Were I in that postition, I would NOT be paying money based on IP claims that are still in dispute.
That he did, is akin to me paying a license fee to Coca-Cola for use of the Pepsi formula. (assuming that Coke sued Pepsi claiming that Pepsi includes Coke's IP).
As I said, he did what he felt was in the best interests of his company, which is exactly what his is paid to do. I still think it was the wrong decision, BUT to fault him, and berate the company merely on an idealistic viewpoint is also equally wrong.
Its almost like people who refuse to buy a Honda because Honda is a Japanese car. Instead they spend money on a Ford (made with 80% foreign parts). They never stop to think that the Honda is built in Kentucky by American workers.