Submission + - 10 Strangest ,and Real, things in Space 1
Dramacrat writes: http://orbitingfrog.com/blog/2007/07/25/the-10-str angest-real-things-in-space
Ten very strange and all-too real things happenin' up in the cosmos.
Submission + - The Science of Relighting the Sun (popularmechanics.com)
ntmokey writes: Popular Mechanics has 10 questions for Dr. Brian Cox,, a physicist at the largest particle physics lab and scientific advisor for the movie Sunshine, a sci-fi flick where the sun is dying and needs to be revived. Surprisingly, there is actually a lot of good science that went into the making it, despite the unavoidable Hollywood stretches here and there. Cox talks about the feasibility of the sun's lifecycle actually being interrupted, and whether we could really bring it back if it started to fizzle.
Submission + - Interview with Linus Torvalds
sucker_muts writes: It seems to have been a while, but there's an new interesting interview with Linus Torvalds. Covering important topics like what he thinks about gpl v3, Microsoft in general and the niches of linux. He considers the desktop to be the best place for developement since it has varied and complex usages, compared to servers and embedded devices.
But is Linus still doing it 'just for fun'? His words: "Yes. Its still why I do it. The parts I do that end up beign fun have been different over the years — it used to be purely about the coding, these days I dont write all that much code myself, and now its mostly about the organizational side: merging code, communicating with people, pointing people in the right direction, and then the occasional bugfixing myself."
But is Linus still doing it 'just for fun'? His words: "Yes. Its still why I do it. The parts I do that end up beign fun have been different over the years — it used to be purely about the coding, these days I dont write all that much code myself, and now its mostly about the organizational side: merging code, communicating with people, pointing people in the right direction, and then the occasional bugfixing myself."
Submission + - Apple's screwing you in the fine print (blogspot.com)
inkedgeek writes: All the info in the fine print of Apple's iPhone agreement, including charging extra for transfering files over 300k or texting overseas. AT&T and Apple also aren't supporting attachments with its current email service. They also mimic cable companies concept of unlimited actually having a limit. Connections to Wi-Fi are only allowed 150 times. As a special treat they charge you even if the call doesn't go through.
Submission + - Very Beautiful, Stunning Magic Act In Outer Space
An anonymous reader writes: No mirrors, no trapdoors, no hidden passageways, no transparent wires were present at this spectacular magic show held on 11 May 2003 at 20:03:04 UTC high over the Russian Federation. The featured act: Put Earth's Moon in Earth's atmosphere without causing any celestial havoc. Fortunately for us earthbound folks, an Expedition 7 crewmember aboard the International Space Station was at the show with a camera. And he took a picture — a gorgeous NASA photograph (via photo no. 61) — of the Moon appearing to float inside Earth's atmosphere.
Journal Journal: Our Solar system was adopted? 4
Our Solar System is traveling at a 60 to 90 degree angle compared to the rest of the Milky Way Galaxy and scientists have now discovered why. It seems our solar system originated not in the Milky Way Galaxy, but in the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy, which is in the process of being eaten by the Milky Way.
Submission + - New Lightbulb 50% Efficient...Never Burns Out. (ecogeek.org) 1
hankmt writes: "Ceravision has just been awarded a patent for a new kind of light. The system is four times more efficient than Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs and it contains now hazardous materials. It basically works by using a microwave emitter to create a high intensity electric field inside a chamber filled with gas. The gas quickly converts to plasma, an the plasma releases more than 50% of it's energy as light.
The device uses components that are all already in mass production, so it could be available relatively quickly. The high directionality of the light makes it perfect for rear projection screens and medical applications, but it could be entering the mass consumer market as a "edison-type" bulb in the next five years."
The device uses components that are all already in mass production, so it could be available relatively quickly. The high directionality of the light makes it perfect for rear projection screens and medical applications, but it could be entering the mass consumer market as a "edison-type" bulb in the next five years."
Submission + - Pirate Bay Launches Uncensored Image Hosting (lawbean.com)
Spamicles writes: "The guys over at the Pirate Bay have launched a new, censorship-free image hosting website called BayImg. Users of the new service don't have to sign-up in order to upload images. However, they can assign a "removal code" to uploaded images, in case they want to delete the files after a while, and tags to categorize images. BayImg currently supports 100+ file formats, and supports uploading Zip and Rar archives. The maximum file size of uploads is 100MB. The article also discusses TPB's plans for launching a video streaming service that will potentially compete with YouTube."
Submission + - 7 Ways to Avoid the iPhone Hype (applematters.com)
DevanJedi writes: "A funny article takes on the impossible task of avoiding the hype: includes bending the laws of physics and social propriety."
Submission + - Zap2it Labs to Shut Down September 1, 2007
An anonymous reader writes: For several years we have offered a free TV listings service to hobbyists for their own personal, noncommercial use. In October of 2004 we posted here an open letter saying the future of Zap2it Labs was at risk because of certain growing misuses of the Zap2it Labs data. Unfortunately this misuse has continued and grown. These misuses, combined with other business factors have led to the decision to discontinue Zap2it Labs effective September 1, 2007.
We thank those users who have honored the terms of the agreement, and we suggest you consider the many TV listings options offered by the commercial licensees of TMS TV listings data.
If you would like to discuss how to license TV listings for commercial use, please let us know by e-mail (labs@zap2it.com) and include your company name, telephone number and the best time to reach you. We will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible.
We anticipate this decision will generate discussion and invite you to respond via the Zap2it Labs forum. We will do our best to respond to relevant questions posted on this forum in a timely manner.
http://labs.zap2it.com/ztvws/ztvws_login/1,1059,TM S01-1-0,00.html
Submission + - BSD coders caught stealing Linux code
sproketboy writes: The inquirer has a piece about some Broadcom driver code that was apparently copied into BSD using their license in violation of the GPL. The thread is here. Flame on.
Submission + - GPL Code Found In OpenBSD Wireless Driver
NormalVisual writes: The mailing lists were buzzing recently when Michael Buesch, one of the maintainers for the GPL'd bc43xx Broadcom wireless chip driver project, called the OpenBSD folks to task for apparently including code without permission from his project in the OpenBSD bcw project, which aims to provide functionality with Broadcom wireless chips under that OS. It seems that the problem has been resolved for now with the BSD driver author totally giving up on the project and Theo De Raadt taking the position that Buesch's posts on the subject were "inhuman".
Journal Journal: OpenBSD: GPL violator?
Michael Buesch, lead developer of the Linux driver for Broadcom's wifi chipset (bcm43xx), stumbled across copied code in the OpenBSD's bcw driver earlier this week. The problem is that the bcm43xx linux driver uses a GPL license. OpenBSD inadvertently makes that linux code available to be used in a proprietary manner, by virtue of its BSD license (and not giving proper attribution where due).
Submission + - OpenBSD bcw: Possible GPL Violation Issues
oldr00tic writes: "I, Michael Buesch, am one of the maintainers of the GPL'd Linux wireless LAN driver for the Broadcom chip (bcm43xx). The Copyright holders of bcm43xx (which includes me) want to talk to you, OpenBSD bcw developers, about possible GPL license and therefore copyright violations in your bcw driver. We believe that you might have directly copied code out of bcm43xx (licensed under GPL v2), without our explicit permission, into bcw (licensed under BSD license). — http://www.osnews.com/story.php/17644/OpenBSD-bcw- Possible-GPL-Violation-Issues"
Submission + - Current owner of BeOS Code: Zeta is Illegal
Hank Powers writes: The legal status of the Zeta operating system that was derived from the source code Be Inc. left shortly before going bankcrupt has been unclear for several years. Now, the current owner of the source code, ACCESS, claims "if Herr Korz feels that he holds a legitimate license to the BeOS code he's been using, we're completely unaware of it, and I'd be fascinated to see him produce any substantiation for that claim". The sales of Zeta have been suspended and so has the development been halted as well. OSNews has an article about the recent developments.
