"But once in a while the manufacturer suggests installing another BIOS, which is available only as an executable. This, clearly, is installing a non-free program--it is just as bad as installing Microsoft Windows, or Adobe Photoshop, or Sun's Java Platform. As the unethical practice of installing another BIOS executable becomes common, the version delivered inside the computer starts to raise an ethical problem issue as well."
You know, this prick is probably the reason no one likes GPL. Ok, ok -- I know that most of my friends idolize this man, but fucking A. Installing Java is not an unethical practice. Contrary to the tripe he constantly dribbles out, it is open-source. Just because we don't like virii like GPL does not make it closed-source. Fucking prick.
28 February 2005
Slashdot | Stallman Calls For Action on Free BIOS
I have been wanting this for awhile (anyone remember the extra bios-chip-slot that BASIC used to be put into)... hope this goes somewhere.
Slashdot | Breakthrough in solar photovoltaics
Nice. Now if we could only convince the power company to charge LESS for renewable energy so everyone would want to switch.
26 February 2005
pandora: Home
Well, I have finally decided to get the rewrite of this webserver hosted somewhere so that I am more likely to get it done. I had been holding off to do it on my own site, but I just don't have the time for that. Now, it is publicly open source. We shall see if that helps me get around to it.
Slashdot | Fan Group Creates Full-Length Discworld Movie
I know it looks cheesy but...
for 3 days of my paycheck, we could have paid to make this film. that makes me feel a little more like perhaps we could do it....
for 3 days of my paycheck, we could have paid to make this film. that makes me feel a little more like perhaps we could do it....
VERY FIRST photo ever published on the web
Nice. and to think I got fired less than a year later after installing Mosaic 0.98 beta because I 'couldn't possibly' be seeing graphics on the internet (it was gopher only at the college) and 'must be hacking'. Of course, a while after that I got my job back.
Slashdot | FCC to Fine Curses More Than Nuke Violations
Quote of a quote:
if the bill passes then 'for the price of Janet Jackson's 'wardrobe malfunction' during the Super Bowl, you could cause the wrongful death of an elderly patient in a nursing home and still have enough money left to create dangerous mishaps at two nuclear reactors.
if the bill passes then 'for the price of Janet Jackson's 'wardrobe malfunction' during the Super Bowl, you could cause the wrongful death of an elderly patient in a nursing home and still have enough money left to create dangerous mishaps at two nuclear reactors.
Slashdot | UK to Build Network of 150 Digital Cinemas
Nice. At least someone is jumping on the digital theater bandwagon. That should make it much easier for little startups to produce their own movies at lower cost.
22 February 2005
RedTacton: 10Mbps Duplex network connection via human body
This might be a solution for VR and Wearables.
Slashdot | Computer Cracks 5x5 Go
I have been thinking of writing a Go client, perhaps for PuzzlePirates... definitely have to read this thoroughly first.
20 February 2005
Slashdot | QEMU Accelerator Achieves Near-Native Performance
Due to my other software interests, thought I should bookmark this. Quote from their page:
QEMU is a generic and open source processor emulator which achieves a good emulation speed by using dynamic translation.
QEMU has two operating modes:
Full system emulation. In this mode, QEMU emulates a full system (for example a PC), including a processor and various peripherials. It can be used to launch different Operating Systems without rebooting the PC or to debug system code.
User mode emulation (Linux host only). In this mode, QEMU can launch Linux processes compiled for one CPU on another CPU.
An optional proprietary QEMU Accelerator Module is available to optimize the case where a PC is emulated on a PC. This module enables QEMU to run most of the target application code directly on the host processor to achieve near native performance.
The supported host and target CPUs are listed in the status page. For full system emulation, the supported Operating Systems are listed here.
QEMU is a generic and open source processor emulator which achieves a good emulation speed by using dynamic translation.
QEMU has two operating modes:
Full system emulation. In this mode, QEMU emulates a full system (for example a PC), including a processor and various peripherials. It can be used to launch different Operating Systems without rebooting the PC or to debug system code.
User mode emulation (Linux host only). In this mode, QEMU can launch Linux processes compiled for one CPU on another CPU.
An optional proprietary QEMU Accelerator Module is available to optimize the case where a PC is emulated on a PC. This module enables QEMU to run most of the target application code directly on the host processor to achieve near native performance.
The supported host and target CPUs are listed in the status page. For full system emulation, the supported Operating Systems are listed here.
A Man-Wearable PC with an Artificial-Reality Helmet
Wow, years after I recommend OLED-goggles for VR headsets on Slashdot, here they are...
ChevronTexaco Opens California Hydrogen Fuel Station - from TBO.com
Hmmm. I am really happy to see Hydrogen fuel cells open, but this brings up another question....
A while back, we noticed that Texaco gas made our car work much better. While we had tried using gas from other stations, the Texaco premium made it quit making noise right away.
Then Texaco was bought out by Shell and all the stations converted.
So, why is it 'ChevronTexaco'?
A while back, we noticed that Texaco gas made our car work much better. While we had tried using gas from other stations, the Texaco premium made it quit making noise right away.
Then Texaco was bought out by Shell and all the stations converted.
So, why is it 'ChevronTexaco'?
Google tech center in La Dalles?
Ok, so they are not paying all that well, but it looks like Google is coming to town.
Brain study points to 'sixth sense' | Science Blog
Ok, let's get this straight....
We have a sixth sense.
The part of the brain that is responsible for it is near the pineal gland, ie: where all the old scifi shows mentioned the third eye being.
The sixth sense allowed people to sense the upcoming danger before there were signs (esp?).
Dopamine trains that region of the brain.
marijuana increases your level of dopamine.
LSD activates dopamine-sensitive areas of the brain.
and mescaline is structurally similar to dopamine.
So, does this mean that the common drugs that make you think you have heightened senses actually increases your "extrasensory" perception?
We have a sixth sense.
The part of the brain that is responsible for it is near the pineal gland, ie: where all the old scifi shows mentioned the third eye being.
The sixth sense allowed people to sense the upcoming danger before there were signs (esp?).
Dopamine trains that region of the brain.
marijuana increases your level of dopamine.
LSD activates dopamine-sensitive areas of the brain.
and mescaline is structurally similar to dopamine.
So, does this mean that the common drugs that make you think you have heightened senses actually increases your "extrasensory" perception?
Slashdot | Blockbuster Sued Over Late Fees Claim
Heard about this on the radio Friday. When I mentioned it to the local Blockbuster, they seemed very offended. How much of this is actually controlled by Corporate instead of Locally?
18 February 2005
17 February 2005
Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates: Subscriptions
I am thinking I should quit this game. But they say no refunds and I prepaid for 1 year for me and my wife.
Here's my post on their forum:
When I prepaid a year for me and my wife on this game, we did it with the intention of becoming merchants. I did not, and do not, have any interest in pillaging.
The changes in the last 4 months have made it pointless to play. Where I used to be signed in all day every day, I am now considering quitting YPP and will discourage anyone else from joining.
The foraging changes made it much more difficult for new players to get started, but we finally managed to do it.
After awhile of not being able to keep up on the rent (had all 6 stalls on Epsilon), we decided it would be better to move our stalls to a cheaper island.
We spent about a week moving all but the ship stall to Beta. We lost about 1/3rd our commodities in transit. That sucked, but we would recover.
As we went to move the last stall, we noticed that it was all of a sudden much higher cost at Beta than at Epsilon, even though they had 1/10th the population. Not only that, but there is no possible way we can afford the startup cost for a new ship stall on Beta. That in itself is very disappointing, because you now have to be rich to start a stall -- thus eliminating the possibility of new players getting into shopkeeping.
What to do? Looking at the 30k/week/island rent for our stalls at Epsilon and Beta, it isn't worth it. What is the point in playing if pillaging bores you?
Guess there isn't one. Even if we did manage to raise enough money to do the shopkeeping thing, I am sure that more changes will come in the next month or two to make it even less desirable.
And, as a closing sidenote, why do all the islands pay the same rent when they all have their own governments? Not very realistic approach.
Here's my post on their forum:
When I prepaid a year for me and my wife on this game, we did it with the intention of becoming merchants. I did not, and do not, have any interest in pillaging.
The changes in the last 4 months have made it pointless to play. Where I used to be signed in all day every day, I am now considering quitting YPP and will discourage anyone else from joining.
The foraging changes made it much more difficult for new players to get started, but we finally managed to do it.
After awhile of not being able to keep up on the rent (had all 6 stalls on Epsilon), we decided it would be better to move our stalls to a cheaper island.
We spent about a week moving all but the ship stall to Beta. We lost about 1/3rd our commodities in transit. That sucked, but we would recover.
As we went to move the last stall, we noticed that it was all of a sudden much higher cost at Beta than at Epsilon, even though they had 1/10th the population. Not only that, but there is no possible way we can afford the startup cost for a new ship stall on Beta. That in itself is very disappointing, because you now have to be rich to start a stall -- thus eliminating the possibility of new players getting into shopkeeping.
What to do? Looking at the 30k/week/island rent for our stalls at Epsilon and Beta, it isn't worth it. What is the point in playing if pillaging bores you?
Guess there isn't one. Even if we did manage to raise enough money to do the shopkeeping thing, I am sure that more changes will come in the next month or two to make it even less desirable.
And, as a closing sidenote, why do all the islands pay the same rent when they all have their own governments? Not very realistic approach.
Slashdot | OSI Hopes To Decrease Number of Licenses
Guess I don't have to care what OSI/OSDL thinks anymore. The obviously are not in touch with 1/2 the open source community with that kind of push towards GPL.
11 February 2005
10 February 2005
09 February 2005
ACM Queue - A Conversation with Alan Kay - Big talk with the creator of Smalltalk�and much more.
Didn't get a chance to read it yet, but am sure it will be worth it.
Mitsubishi Launches Mini DLP PocketProjector @ CHAITGEAR
Wish it had better resolution -- but... 40" screen sounds nice.
Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates :: View topic - Ice Server Up, Shipwrightery, Missions, Doubloons and more!
ooh, maybe I will have to try this
07 February 2005
06 February 2005
Slashdot | The NeXT-Best Thing: GNUSTEP 0.9.4 Live CD
Interesting. Not sure what I really think, but I watched the flash demo.
Slashdot | Microsoft Seeks Latitude/Longitude Patent
Looks like Microsoft really is trying to own the world.
If the patent office accepts this patent, as I am sure they will, there is absolutely no saving grace for them. Is there a better solution than Abollishment?
If the patent office accepts this patent, as I am sure they will, there is absolutely no saving grace for them. Is there a better solution than Abollishment?
03 February 2005
02 February 2005
Computer Languages History (preview)
Although some may disagree with some of it, it is nice to see that Java (for example) shows each version, not just one entry.
Slashdot | UPN Officially Cancels 'Star Trek: Enterprise'
As much as I preferred Next Generation, this still really sucks.
Kohsuke Kawaguchi's Blog: Technology Preview of JAXB 2.0
Guess I should have been reading the list (or my email itself even)... Guess I need to try JAXB2 now ;)
Hans Muller's Blog: Inside TiVo's new Java SDK
I have been looking at making my own PVR... Maybe this would be a good alternative?
01 February 2005
Ubisoft plundering Puzzle Pirates - PC News at GameSpot
Well, since my wife and I currently play this game, this is an interesting development.
TriMet
Fox' Good Day Oregon just had a story that pisses me off....
Evidentally Trimet has added parking meters to two of its busiest lot. But the part that pisses me off is the 5 hour max. That means that everyone who used either of those (the two busiest) lots to take Trimet to work will no longer be able to and have to drive instead.
Now, realistically, it doesn't affect me as I am driving anyways -- but I thought their whole ad campaign was based on the number of drivers they got off the road? Well, I guess they are putting them back.
Evidentally Trimet has added parking meters to two of its busiest lot. But the part that pisses me off is the 5 hour max. That means that everyone who used either of those (the two busiest) lots to take Trimet to work will no longer be able to and have to drive instead.
Now, realistically, it doesn't affect me as I am driving anyways -- but I thought their whole ad campaign was based on the number of drivers they got off the road? Well, I guess they are putting them back.
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