Slashdot is powered by your submissions, so send in your scoop

 


Forgot your password?
Close
typodupeerror
×
Microsoft

Submission + - Microsoft's new validation policy

Submitted by
fishyfool
fishyfool writes: "Microsoft has started a new policy of authenticating the Windows operating system. Previously when a user has installed Windows they had to activate the OS with Microsoft online or by phone. One could understand why Microsoft put the activation process into place, with all the pirating that was taking place with early verisons of Windows. Now Microsoft has taken authentication of the Microsoft Validation to a whole new level. Starting now, they will be checking your operating system every month. mypcpros.com"
Privacy

Submission + - Studios Want Security at Cinemas to Stop Piracy

Submitted by Chubbs
Chubbs writes: CBC is reporting that the Hollywood studies are having security guards in Canadian cinemas search moviegoers for camcorders, cell phones, and other devices that could be used to pirate movies:

With the official start of the summer movie season set for next week with the opening of Spider-Man 3, security in cinemas is being stepped up. Security guards at a preview screening for Spider-Man 3 inspected bags, confiscated portable phones, and scanned movie goers with metal detectors. With a budget of $250 million, Spider-Man 3 is a heavy investment for Sony Pictures and it is trying to stop the film from being recorded and leaked to the internet.
Security

Submission + - Skip a security check, get suspended

Submitted by
numatrix
numatrix writes: "Network Computing has a piece about a University of Portland student who was suspended for writing a program to bypass the Cisco Clean Access NAC system on campus. Apparently this incredibly dangerous activity is a Patriot Act violation. Or, at least, it is if you believe the letters being sent out by the administration at UP who seem to be confusing "skipping security checks" with "hack into a licensed product"."
Censorship

Submission + - Chicago student arrested for writing violent essay

Submitted by
Amalex5
Amalex5 writes: "After Columbine, school administrators suspended numerous students around the country for turning in violent writing, but a school district in Chicago has responded to the Virginia Tech massacre by going a step further: arresting a student who responded to the creative writing assignment "Write whatever comes to your mind. Do not judge or censor what you are writing" by writing a story about violence, video-games and necrophilia. The student was charged with disorderly conduct, which carries a fine of up to $1500 and up 30 days in jail, and is usually used for people who pull fire alarms maliciously or make prank 911 calls. The local police chief said that the charge also applies "when someone's writings disturb an individual.""
Businesses

Submission + - Vonage starts grassroots campaign against Verizon

Submitted by
notlisted
notlisted writes: "I received an interesting email from Vonage this morning regarding their latest effort against Verizon's patent claims:

Dear Vonage Customer:

Vonage invites you to be among the first to join a new grassroots campaign aimed at preserving your right to choose your phone service. We're launching a national movement — Free to Compete — because we believe marketplace competition is good, and we want consumers to have a choice. To learn the facts and find out how you can help preserve competition and your right to choose your phone service, please visit FreeToCompete.com.

Since the day we opened our doors, our mission has been to provide consumers with an alternative to the services offered by entrenched landline phone providers. In our five short years, we've gone head-to-head with many of these industry giants, and amassed 2.4 million customer lines with our innovative technology, cool features and value pricing.

You may have heard that Verizon® is suing us over patents they say we violated. Verizon has pursued litigation against Vonage in an effort to achieve in court what it cannot achieve in the marketplace. The suit could result in limiting competition and consumers' freedom to choose a communications provider, which could ultimately drive up the cost of phone service. Vonage will continue fighting this attempt to limit your choice, while ensuring that you continue to receive the reliable, quality service you've come to expect.

As our customers, you are the most passionate and effective spokespeople we have. Let your voice be heard by visiting FreeToCompete.com where you can:

1. Send an email to Verizon telling them you support Vonage as they defend your right to a better phone service
2. Sign our Petition
3. Learn the facts of the case
4. Spread the word


We hope you'll join us in taking up this important challenge by visiting FreeToCompete.com. Together, let's move the battle for free competition and choice in the phone industry out of the courts and back into the marketplace!

And thank you for choosing Vonage.

Regards,

Jeffrey Citron
Chairman, Interim CEO and Chief Strategist"
Censorship

Submission + - Sad Kermit Videos Pulled From Youtube

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Disney has recently ordered Youtube (video formerly found here) and Myspace (video still to be found here) to take down the video for a cover of Nine Inch Nail's "Hurt" done by the people at Sad Kermit, a website dedicated to redoing depressing pop songs in the voice of Kermit The Frog, because of copyright infringment on the image of Kermit. Isn't this the sort of thing that should be considered legitimate parody?
Software

Submission + - Software Developer Rights

Submitted by
led_belly
led_belly writes: "I work as a contract Web Developer which often takes me into creating entire applications for clients. Usually in my prospectus I make a note that I retain the rights to all the code written for the client during the project. Is this enough? What laws are in place (in the U.S. & Canada) outlining the right and obligations in this kind of relationship? I have been told that the developer retains the rights to his/her work unless they sign these rights away to some other party, usually in the form of a financial transaction, but I wanted to hear what the slashdot crowd had to say about this."
Sony

Submission + - Sony Films Won't Play on Sony DVD Players

Submitted by taxevader
taxevader writes: Sony Films Won't Play on Sony DVD Players, Say Reports
Complaints have begun appearing on some tech websites that copyright-protection coding on new releases from Sony, including Stranger Than Fiction, The Holiday, Casino Royale, and The Pursuit of Happyness, has made them unplayable on certain DVD players. One person complained on an Amazon.com discussion board that when inserted in Sony's DVP-CX995V player, the disks "load up to the splash title screen and then load no further, then after about 60 secs the player turns itself off!" The writer said that when he contacted Sony he was told that the company was aware of the problem and that it was working on a firmware update. The writer then asked Sony, "Would it not be a good idea to test changes you intend to make on your DVDs at least on your own equipment so that if you find a problem you could have the firmware update available instead of not only inconveniencing, but alienating your own customers?"

http://imdb.com/news/sb/2007-04-16/
Microsoft

Submission + - The Reg: Windows Media Player smokes Weed

Submitted by
morlock_man
morlock_man writes: "From the Register: A music-sharing site popular with small and independent artists is suspending operations because of incompatibilities with Microsoft's latest version of Windows Media Player. Weedshare, home to 10,000 musicians and 100,000 tracks, will go offline next week after four years because Windows Media Player 11 does not play music files that have been updated to enable operators to charge consumers." Read the full article."
Microsoft

Submission + - Sci-Fi Writer John Ringo vs. Vista, Word, & DR

Submitted by Ruach
Ruach writes: Sci-Fi writer John Ringo writes a detailed description (almost a short story) of the PAIN of having to upgrade to Vista when his XP laptop died — hint he made a mistake "a BUNCH of my songs are from MSN Music, which has been closed down." It is so long his web master put it into a PDF. http://www.johnringo.com/Abyss/OMFG.pdf
If this is the future of DRM computing — Linux will take over the desktop. A quote from near the end of the article, "If anyone can set me up on Linux, I might as well switch over. But I'm going to need major hand-holding. I've been an MS slave for a long time. But Vista has broken me." — John Ringo
(Warning explicit language in article).
Announcements

Submission + - Merrill Lynch: 30% of U.S. Households to Own Wii b

Submitted by
njkid1
njkid1 writes: "According to a report in the Financial Times, the Wii's sales momentum is so strong that some analysts have upgraded their long-term outlooks for the console. Nintendo's new console just came off a very strong performance in January, easily selling more consoles than either the Xbox 360 or Sony's PS3. http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=1530 9&ncid=AOLGAM000500000000022"
Handhelds

Submission + - Heroic Slashdotter Mistakes Pron for Rape

Submitted by ObiWanStevobi
ObiWanStevobi writes: Ok, since this is considered an invasion case, I picked YRO. I also figured a sword qualifies as a handheld device.

A man who lives in his mother's basement, and has a sword collection, is being charged after breaking into his neighbor's house. He broke in after hearing what sounded like a woman being raped. He burst through the door weilding his sword with a +3 Dexterity adrenaline rush. The frightened wanker then proceeded to show him(James Van Iveren AKA Krunk the Slashdotter) that he was alone and just watching a porno. Van Iveren is now being charged on several counts such as trespassing and damage to property for breaking the door. LINK

PS Notice the URL, porn.sword.ap
Businesses

Submission + - Our customers demand Linux

Submitted by rolfc
rolfc writes: The OMXgroup, maker of systems for financial markets says in Computer Sweden that their next generation of software, Genium, will run on Linux since the customers demand it. The article in Swedish states that it is not the technical differences that is the reason but the fact that it is an open and competitive platform, and their customers has given clear signals that they want to run Linux.

Slashdot Top Deals

"Don't drop acid, take it pass-fail!" -- Bryan Michael Wendt

Close