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Java

Submission + - Don't use Emacs, says Java's father (computerworld.com.au)

Submitted by StonyandCher
StonyandCher writes: Known in the development world as the father of Java, Sun Microsystems' vice president and fellow James Gosling has urged coders to stop using the antiquated Emacs text editor and move to a more modern IDE like Sun's own open source NetBeans. During his keynote address at the Sydney leg of the Sun Tech Days worldwide developer conference, Gosling quizzed the audience by asking how many people "still use Emacs?" When a few dozen people raised their arms in support of the 30-year-old editor, Gosling said "just stop!", much to the amusement of the audience.
Hardware Hacking

Submission + - Is this Australia's geekiest man? (computerworld.com.au)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Why have a key to open your front door when you can have an RFID tag implanted in your arm that will do the trick? Computerworld have a story up about the outgoing Linux Australia group president's hacked home, in which just about anything from watering the lawn, to opening his blinds, or checking the mail can be controlled through a software environment. Jonathan Oxer is an electronics and coding whiz who apparently has an RIFD tag implanted in his arm that opens his front door, and his front gate is hooked up with gigabit Ethernet — able to tell him when someone enters the property or send him a virtual email or sms to say he has real mail. Apparently the iPod Touch has just inspired him to begin linking all his little hardware hacks together into the one single, software controlled handheld touch device. I wonder if Steve Jobs ever thought the Touch would end up being used this way?? http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;396147352;pp;2
Hardware Hacking

Submission + - Hacking real world objects through Second Life (computerworld.com.au)

Submitted by Platini
Platini writes: Computerworld Australia is running an interview with the current Linux Australia community group president, Jonathan Oxer, in which he explains how to hack real world objects through Linden Labs Second Life environment. Oxer uses an open source microcontroller called the Arduino board (he also discusses why hardware hacking has taken off in recent years), along with an RFID tag that is implanted in his arm and some clever scripting to unlock a virtual door inside Second Life. He also explains how to use virtual buttons inside Second Life to hack real world appliances. Oxer also talks about his heavily hardware hacked home in which almost everything can be controlled through a software environment — his front gate and letterbox are Ethernet enabled, his front door can be opened by the RFID tag in his arm, his lights, skylights and garden irrigation system are all software controlled, and he has hacked his alarm clock so that it slowly opens his blinds instead of blaring a loud buzzing noise! He concludes with a description of his current plans to hack Apple's iPod Touch so that he can control all of his home modifications from the one handheld device, very cool!
Censorship

Submission + - AUSTRALIA TO GET ISP LEVEL FILTERING (computerworld.com.au)

Submitted by bergkamp10
bergkamp10 writes: It has been dubbed the Great Wall of Australia. Internet Service Providers, IT managers and the Electronic Frontiers Australia among others have slammed the Australian federal government's national content filtering scheme — an opt-out scheme that requires all ISPs to filter "objectionable material" from Internet traffic according to a blacklist defined by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). Australia looks to be going down the road of countries such as China, Burma and parts of the middle east that implement mandatory filtering at the ISP level- censorship by any other name — and it has created an absolute furore of debate in the land down under. Proposes under the guise of filtering the abhorrent business of child pornography, such content filtering could turn into an infringement on freedom of information and political activism, and become a moral arbiter for inappropriate content. Industry experts agree that filtering child porn is a good idea, but hold grave fears for what may be censored once the system is in place, particularly given that one of the key supporters of the filtering system is the Family First party; a conservative group that opposes abortion, contraception, homosexuality, trans sexual and trans gender people, and euthanasia among other things. Australia's Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Stephan Conroy, said he "makes no apologies to those that argue that any regulation of the Internet is like going down the Chinese road". Scary, scary stuff.
Businesses

Submission + - Most Memorable Computer Ads of the 80s (slideshow) (computerworld.com.au)

Submitted by Nigel_story
Nigel_story writes: Very funny selection of computer ads from the eighties and early nineties; including microsoft dissing on apple, a gun holster for your cell phone, NEC's Brain computer, inside the Mac, Dr Who, the earliest commercial 'portable' computers, Dumb Terminals, and a cracker from 1985 about a PC trying to talk to a Mac — Deja Vu anyone??? A great trip back in time

Comment Re:WTF (Score 2, Insightful) 729

by triclops (#11549051) Attached to: 4 Linux Distros Compared To Win XP, Mac OS X
Sure it might be written for the technically inept. It might be light on content and what might be considered as quality research. It may even be wrong at points, but no matter what is wrong with it, it does represent more publicity aimed at the masses for alternative operating systems besides Microsoft Windows.
You don't need to convince geeks to use Linux or OSX, its the mums and dads, everyday people, that need to see that there are other viable options out there, and a comparison like this is a good way to build such awareness.

Surely this sort of publicity is worth a mention on slashdot.

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