Slashback: Bankruptcy, SUVdiving, Singalongs

Slashback updates tonight on sky-diving cars, Microsoft's new code Glasnost (guess who's signed up to see the code?), the fate of the PCI-SIG list, the SCO and Linux licensing brouhaha, music royalties in Finland, and more. Read on for the details.

Not like that un-American GPL. agentZ writes "The first Microsoft government customer to buy access to the Windows source code is Russia according to this CNet story. Interesting to note FAPSI, one of their intelligence agencies, authorized the purchase. Perhaps they're looking for vulnerabilities in the U.S. Government's dependence on Microsoft?"

The difference between Chapter 11 and The End. prostoalex writes "In regards to a recent heated discussion on whether tech companies can make it out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, XO Communications, the telecom company of the dot-com era, seems to be doing quite well after filing Chapter 11. The article on Internet.com also mentions another company, Covad Communications, picking up customers and more business after filing for Chapter 11."

There's hope in PCI Land. Regarding the Slashdot post of a few days ago about the PCI-SIG ("The End of the Free PCI Device List"), PCI-SIG Chairman Tony Pierce writes

"YourVote.com Supporters:

Thank you for making us aware of your concerns regarding Jim Boemler's online Vendor and Device Lists for the PCI technology.

There has been a misunderstanding between PCI-SIG and Jim - PCI-SIG officers are currently working with Jim to resolve the issues as quickly as possible. We respect Jim Boemler's work and are committed to support the PCI specification efforts industry-wide. We are confident that we will come to an amicable resolution.

We are pleased to see the strong industry support for PCI technologies and value your response to the issues. We understand this site has been a very valuable tool and are working together to find a solution to make sure that the tool is available to the public in some way.

Thank you for your support over the years. We will be sure to keep you informed as we come to resolution in this situation."

This lowers Finland on my list of vacation spots. E-Tray writes "It seems that Finnish equivalents of American RIAA, Teosto, which represents songwriters and publishers, and Gramex, which represents music producers and artists, want to force Finnish day nurseries to pay royalties every time nursery staff sings along with kids. Previously Teosto enforced a law that taxi drivers have to pay royalties if they play music while a customer is in the backseat."

Would still rather see a statement signed in blood. Error27 writes "Earlier this week, Slashdot linked to a Maureen O'Gara article that claimed SCO was probably going to try charge Linux users $96 per CPU. More than one person thought SCO's denial was, "Awfully ambiguous". Hopefully this article clears up any doubts. Essentially, SCO will continue to charge IBM but not RedHat or SCO's UnitedLinux partners."

Perhaps I can volunteer my dad's Suburbans? Finally, joe jennings writes

"A few months ago you ran a story about the cars my team and I skydived with and crashed into the desert. This is a bit of an update.

Next month, we're going to blow up my Nissan Pathfinder. Its twisted remains will be welded to a steel beam and planted on a plot of land in the mojave desert. We're starting "suv ranch," a tribute to gas guzzlers, a dying trend (we hope).

I intend to thoroughly document the project and will post images and quicktime videos on gaspig.com."

Day care?

[NickDngr]

Teosto, which represents songwriters and publishers, and Gramex, which represents music producers and artists, want to force Finnish day nurseries to pay royalties every time nursery staff sings along with kids.

Yeah... that's going to be enforceable. What are they going to do, interview the kids as they come out of day care? We thought we had it bad with the RIAA. Sheesh!

USSR

[Junky191]

"The Soviet Union? I though you guys broke up?"

"Yeees, thats what ve wanted ve wanted you to think! Ha ha, haa hahaha!"

Re:The gaspig.com link is incorrect.

[Quadrature]

Well, now it's right. Where's that delete button?

Sing-a-longs

[chundo]

It seems that Finnish equivalents of American RIAA, Teosto, which represents songwriters and publishers, and Gramex, which represents music producers and artists, want to force Finnish day nurseries to pay royalties every time nursery staff sings along with kids.

...but since it has proved too hard to enforce, they are trying plan B - sending children to these day nurseries who just repeatedly sing the choruses for five minutes.

IN SOVIET RUSSIA

[Anonymous Coward]

source code looks at YOU!

jesus christ....

[edrugtrader]

north korea has nukes and russia has the windows source code.

i don't know which is worse. seriously.

Next time

[Anonymous Coward]

Try throwing cowboy neal out a plane, hes much heavier than a ford explorer.

Re:SUVs

[Anonymous Coward]

That can't have been you I saw doing a 20 mile commute alone in your SUV then.

Me, I use an electric vehicle powered by my own smugness.

Finally we'll see the Windows source code...

[IdleTime]

Thank heaven for Russia!

In a short while, the source code for Windows will be all over the net! I can't wait.

You think I'm kidding, right? I'm not. Let's say 2-3 months and all the source will be spread all over the net.

Microsoft can just as well publish the source under GPL now!

$5 Windows Source CDs on Moscow streets?

[Alexey Nogin]

I am wondering how well protected the source code will be. If the history (such as Moscow police "white pages" database with all the unlisted numbers included quickly leaking out) is any indication, we might soon see CDs with full Windows sources being sold for a few bugs on every corner in Moscow...

In fact, we might see a variant of an "open-source windows" movement actaully happening there!

Re:Fair Use?

[RetroGeek]

Just to be clear, In America you don't have Fair Use that allows people to sing other's copyrighted songs.

What? Not allowed to do karaoke? This might be a GOOD THING.

Re:Stealing Candy From a Baby

[EvilNTUser]

"I hope that every parent who has kids in Finland in day care sends them to the head office of this organisation."

And what's next, sending our kids to hell so they can bother satan? ...I think I'll pass :-)

Not that I have kids... (Partly because I'm 20, but mostly because I post on slashdot.)

Let's all sing Metallica children

[xixax]

Maybe nannys should sing Metallica songs in protest?

Hey, we could *all* have a day where we sing "Enter Sandman" out loud in public places and refuse to pay.

Xix.

Re:jesus christ....

[John Hasler]

> ...russia has the windows source code.
> i don't know which is worse.

It's not that bad. The russians are tough. They survived WWII and 70 years of communism. They'll survive looking at Windows source.

Re:$5 Windows Source CDs on Moscow streets?

[cant_get_a_good_nick]

being sold for a few bugs on every corner in Moscow

Still thinking about Windows quality are we?

Re:Sing-a-longs

[vladkrupin]

It seems that Finnish equivalents of American RIAA, Teosto, which represents songwriters and publishers, and Gramex, which represents music producers and artists, want to force Finnish day nurseries to pay royalties every time nursery staff sings along with kids.

Doesn't matter one bit. They are violating the copyright anyway, even when kids are asleep. [slashdot.org]

Windows doesn't need glasnost...

[gonerill]

It needs perestroika.

(Or is everyone on Slashdot too young to get that joke?)

Re:How does the MS code license work?

[Erris]

1. You promise not to tell anyone what you see. 2. You promise not to sell the binaries you make. 3. You promise a whole lot more than I can write in a short list. 4. You are led to a special cubicle on the Redmond Campus. 5. You put a quarter in a slot. 6. A large metal plate lifts, revealing a hidden CRT. 7. After 1 minute, the plate drops and you have to insert another quarter.

Re:Hunger and hotdog eating contest

[SpaceLifeForm]

Sure he was making a fuss. He had *his* eyes on the rest of that hot-dog.

And then we'll...

[cornice]

After that just to protest the use of foreign oil and it's damaging effects on the environment, we're going to crash this fully loaded oil tanker. Oh wait...

Re:dumping suvs out of planes to protest gas hogs?

[meowmonster]

Yes, please more people get rid of your SUV's and drive your mopeds on 4 wheels...

That will drive down demand for SUV's and I can afford more!!! Maybe if enough of you do it, the demand for gas will fall so I can afford to get even lower gas milage. Then the freeway will be even better as I can drive rush hour and push your little electric, fiberglass toys out of my way.

I do love the call for fuel efficient vehicles. Works wonderful in a capitalist society...

Re:Pre-emptive note to RIAA

[anticypher]

You can keep me from teaching and singing songs to people by cutting my throat.

"Your terms are acceptable"
--Edgar, Men In Black, now working with the insects of the RIAA

the AC

Re:Yah, those red russkies got nothing better to d

[Darth_brooks]

IN SOVEIT RUSSIA...

oh wait, that joke's probably the reason tensions are escalating.

Re:Windows doesn't need glasnost...

[Alsee]

In corporate America Microsoft buys access to YOU!

-

Re:USSR

[Alsee]

Bah! It's nothing but a smokescreen. Russian spies stole the sourcecode years ago. I think it was about 18 months before the Soviet Union collapsed....

-

Re:Hunger and hotdog eating contest

[ACNiel]

"Oh, if only to touch the hot dog that touched the lips of a girl... a real live girl... mmmmm"