Comment It depends (Score 4, Insightful) 306
It depends on the license of the software. Always.
In-Depth With the Windows 7 Public Beta 785
Dozer writes "With the Windows 7 public beta out, Ars Technica has an in-depth look at the release. There's praise for Windows 7's UI changes and polish as well much-needed changes to UAC, but also a warning that those who have problems with Vista won't like Windows 7 much better. 'If you couldn't stand Vista's UI (whether it's because you didn't like Explorer, Aero, Control Panel, UAC, or anything else), Windows 7 is unlikely to do much to help, as it builds on the same UI. If Vista's hardware demands were too steep, Windows 7 will likely cause you the same grief, as its hardware demands match. And if Vista didn't work with a program or device you need to use, Windows 7 will offer no salvation, as its compatibility is virtually identical.'"
Comment The old Emacs vs Vi story (Score 5, Funny) 412
I asked my email-pal: "UNIX or Windoze?". He replied "UNIX". I said "Ah...me too!".
I asked my email-pal: "Linux or AIX?". He said "Linux, of course". I said "Me too".
I asked him: "Emacs or vi". He replied "Emacs". I said "Me too. Small world."
I asked him: "GNU Emacs or XEmacs?", and he said "GNU Emacs". I said "oh, me too."
I asked him "GNU Emacs 19 or GNU Emacs 20"? and he said "GNU Emacs 19". I said "oh, me too."
I asked him, "GNU Emacs 19.29 or GNU Emacs 19.34", and he replied "GNU Emacs 19.29". I said "DIE YOU OBSOLETE NOGOOD SOCIALLY MALADJUSTED CELIBATE COMMIE FASCIST DORK!", and never emailed him again.
From an old slashdot story
Comment There can be only one (Score 0, Redundant) 393
RMS!!!!
Submission + - Arcs out (paulgraham.com)
raffe writes: Paul Grahams new follow up to LISP is out in a first version. Its called Arc.
From arclanguage.org
Arc is designed above all for exploratory programming: the kind where you decide what to write by writing it. A good medium for exploratory programming is one that makes programs brief and malleable, so that's what we've aimed for. This is a medium for sketching software.
Paul has already received some feedback.
Submission + - Nokia to acquire Trolltech
raffe writes: Nokia and Trolltech ASA today announced that they have entered into an agreement that Nokia will make a public voluntary tender offer to acquire Trolltech (www.trolltech.com), a company headquartered in Oslo, Norway and publicly listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. KDE uses QT toolkit as base.
Submission + - cifs/smb in solaris kernel
raffe writes: In a blog by Sun egiuneer Alan Wright you can read that they are implementing CIFS in the solaris kernel:
"We had been working on an independent CIFS implementation for several years, and we would use this as the basis for the Solaris CIFS project, but it would take time for everything necessary to fall into place: there is a big difference between what management at Sun would like to happen and what the engineers at Sun will endorse. [...]What does this mean for Samba on Solaris? Not a lot really. "
Submission + - Patent case against red hat and novell
raffe writes: From Groklaw:
IP Innovation LLC has just filed a patent infringement They claim against Red Hat and Novell. It was filed October 9, case no. 2:2007cv00447, IP Innovation, LLC et al v. Red Hat Inc. et al, in Texas. You might recall the patent was used in litigation against Apple in April 2007, and Beta News reported at the time that it's a 1991 Xerox PARC patent. But ars technica provided the detail that it references earlier patents going back to 1984 claim to have the rights to U.S. Patent No. 5,072,412 for a User Interface with Multiple Workspaces for Sharing Display System Objects issued Dec. 10, 1991 along with two other similar patents. So in July one Microsoft executive arrives; then as of October 1, there is the second, a patent guy. October 9, IP Innovation, a subsidiary, sues Red Hat. And Novell. So much for being Microsoft's little buddy.
I think SCO II has arrived
Novell Linux Business Spikes Since Microsoft Deal 147
StonyandCher writes "Novell's divisive deal with Microsoft has apparently resulted in some financial success for the company. PC World is now reporting that the company's Linux business has risen about 250% since the deal was announced last November. From the article: '[Novell director of marketing Justin Steinman] said part of its growth was directly related to the Microsoft deal, adding that Novell has billed more than US$100 million in business through its Microsoft relationship. He added that the growth was also due to the halo effect of the arrangement. "When we're out there competing with Red Hat, [our salespeople] are saying, 'Our Linux is recommended by Microsoft,' and customers that already have a Windows investment say it seems to make sense to pick the Linux that works with Windows."'"
Submission + - A conversation with IBM's top intellectual propert
raffe writes: Scobleizer sits down with IBM's top intellectual property lawyer and has a short interview about GPL and patents. A really interesting interview that gets you thinking about a big corporations perspective on intellectual property. Worth a few minutes to see.
Submission + - Google Partners with OIN "To Help Linux Thrive (groklaw.net)
lymeca writes: "Groklaw reports that Google has become the Open Invention Network's first end user licensee. The OIN was established by companies such as IBM, Red Hat, and somewhat ironically Novell to accumulate patents and license them royalty free to any company who promises not to leverage their own patent portfolio against key applications available on GNU/Linux, including many GNU projects as well as Linux itself. As Chris DiBona, Google's open source programs manager puts it:
This marks an important and symbolic step forward in the battle between Free/Open Source Software and the looming specter of software patent infringements in nations which recognise them. Google's support bolsters the OIN's effectiveness as a shield against patent attacks against GNU/Linux and many popular applications which run on it."Linux plays a vital role at Google, and we're strongly committed to supporting the Linux developer community. We believe that by becoming an Open Invention Network licensee, we can encourage Linux development and foster innovation in a way that benefits everyone. We're proud to participate in OIN's mission to help Linux thrive.
Submission + - OpenOffice.org to fully support PDF editing
Juan Rey writes: According to Kai Ahrens' blog, Sun OOo Graphics development team is working in order to get a native import filter into OpenOffice.org.
Development is advanced and a prototype is on the way.
Development is advanced and a prototype is on the way.
Submission + - Ingmar Bergman dead
mernil writes: "Legendary Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman has died at the age of 89. He died on Monday morning at his home on the island of Fårö, his daughter Eva Bergman told news agency TT.
Bergman won three Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film, for The Virgin Spring, Through a Glass Darkly and Fanny and Alexander. He also won the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, presented at the 1971 Oscars ceremony."
Submission + - John C. Dvoraks switch story.
raffe writes: Hell froze over! John C. Dvorak, long time hater of the mac now likes it."I have no plans to move to the Mac platform for my personal use. That said, I have noticed that I've been recommending the machine to friends and neighbors when they want to know what kind of system they should buy."
Submission + - Microsoft Drops GPLv3 Like a Hot Rock 1
pilsner.urquell writes: "Microsoft yesterday issued a statement proclaiming that is isn't bound by GPLv3. Grolaw has a very humorous article about Microsoft's statement."
