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Software

Submission + - SNORT prepares for IPO

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Open ource innovator and SNORT creator, Sourcefire, Inc., a leader in network intrusion prevention, announced today the pricing of its initial public offering of 5,770,000 shares of its common stock at $15.00 per share. More inromation on the SNORT IPO can be found over at Linuxlookup.com
Space

Submission + - A decade-long mystery has been solved

Submitted by
justelite
justelite writes: "A decade-long mystery has been solved using data from ESA's X-ray observatory XMM-Newton. The brightest member of the so-called 'magnificent seven' has been found to pulsate with a period of seven seconds. The discovery casts some doubt on the recent interpretation that this object is a highly exotic celestial object known as a quark star."
Operating Systems

Submission + - Dell may offer Linux as alternative to Windows

Submitted by
Anonymous Coward
Anonymous Coward writes: "BOSTON (Reuters) — Dell Inc. (DELL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) is considering offering the Linux operating system as an alternative to Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) Windows on its personal computers, a Dell spokesman said on Tuesday. The PC maker said it received more than 100,000 customer requests for Linux in a "suggestion box" posted on Dell's Web site less than three weeks ago. "We are listening to what customers are saying about Linux and taking it into consideration," said Dell spokesman David Lord. "We are going forward. Let's say, 'Certainly stay tuned.'" The only operating system that Dell currently offers on its PCs is Windows, with one exception, Lord said. It sells high-end Linux desktops designed specifically for use in oil and gas exploration, he said. http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUS N0644160820070307"
Space

Submission + - Theory for Expansion of Universe

Submitted by
LethargicParasite
LethargicParasite writes: "In a recent astronomy class, my professor was talking about the expansion of the universe. He mentioned three key things:
1. The universe is likely expanding.
2. The velocity of the expansion of the universe is likely increasing.
3. Whatever causes the expansion of the universe is likely the cause of the bubble structure of the universe.
I came up with a theory that the professor could not refute outright: The expansion of the universe is the result of black holes converting matter (which takes up space) into a singularity (which does not take up space). This theory could explain the bubble-like structure of the universe, the expansion of the universe, and perhaps even the acceleration of the universe. So. Is this theory even falsifiable without looking for black holes at the centre of the voids?"
Privacy

Submission + - REAL ID Could Endanger Domestic Violence Victims

Submitted by
An anonymous reader writes: Many states have "address confidentiality programs" in which victims of domestic violence register a dummy address with the state. The state uses this dummy address on official documents, such as drivers licenses, thus assuring that abusers with access to state databases are not able to track down their victims. The newly enacted federal REAL ID Act may change this, however, by forcing domestic violence victims to list their real addresses in a nationwide database. Under REAL ID, all holders of state drivers licenses and ID cards must submit their information to a nationwide database which can be accessed at tens of thousands of terminals by officials ranging from cops to DMV workers. Privacy rights groups such as EPIC are warning that this new law may force domestic violence victims to reveal their true addresses, thus undermining state programs designed to protect them.
Music

Submission + - Attorneys Fees To Be Awarded Against RIAA

Submitted by
NewYorkCountryLawyer
NewYorkCountryLawyer writes: "In an Oklahoma case, Capitol Records v. Debbie Foster, the Court has granted the defendant's motion for attorneys fees to be imposed against the RIAA, holding that Ms. Foster is to receive her "reasonable attorney's fees". Judge Lee R. West, in his 9-page decision(pdf), did not specify the amount to be awarded, held that the RIAA can have "discovery" on the reasonableness issue, and also ruled that Ms. Foster can also later supplement her application for additional fees. Her initial application was for approximately $55,000 in legal fees and disbursements. This is the case in which the ACLU, Public Citizen, EFF, the American Association of Law Libraries, and the ACLU Oklahoma Foundation, all filed an amicus brief on Ms. Foster's behalf, arguing to the judge that a substantial attorneys fee award was needed to discourage the RIAA's "driftnet" litigation strategy."
The Internet

The Need For A Tagging Standard 200

Posted by Hemos from the tagging-joy dept.
John Carmichael writes "Tags are everywhere now. Not just blogs, but famous news sites, corporate press bulletins, forums, and even Slashdot. That's why it's such a shame that they're rendered almost entirely useless by the lack of a tagging standard with which tags from various sites and tag aggregators like Technorati and Del.icio.us can compare and relate tags to one another. Depending on where you go and who you ask, tags are implemented differently, and even defined in their own unique way. Even more importantly, tags were meant to be universal and compatible: a medium of sharing and conveying info across the blogosphere — the very embodiment of a semantic web. Unfortunately, they're not. Far from it, tags create more discord and confusion than they do minimize it. I have to say, it would be nice to just learn one way of tagging content and using it everywhere.""

Comment Re:120 Out Of How Many Millions? (Score 1) 578

by FilthPig (#13041936) Attached to: 'Operation Site Down' Closes 8 Warez Servers
How is this insightful? That metaphor is way off base. Prohibition put morality on trial, while pirating software is theft of a product that required development time, support, administrative costs, etc. You're proposing that we take action against our legislators that feel that stealing should be punished? Do we revert to a feudal society next? I think if you really looked for a mandate on this issue you would find that perhaps besides the subsection of online culture that makes up many Slashdot readers like yourself, people don't think theft should be legalized.

Comment Re:The guy has a point... (Score 1) 818

by windi (#9130978) Attached to: Nicholas Petreley Slams Gnome
That's why there are tools like apt, yum, or emerge, if you want to compile it yourself.

No one in their right mind would compile GNOME (or KDE or OpenOffice.org) from source tarballs unless you had a very specific reason for doing that.
User Journal

Journal Journal: SAIC slashdotters 2

Journal by NTT

I'm curious how many fellow SAIC emps read /. Add your count here. Post annonymously if you want.

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