Comment Re:A few responses (Score 1) 838
As the site indicates, we were making appointments for the weekend before this past one -- over a week ago. So I think your difficulty is unrelated.
Submission + - Activist groups announce support for free software (freesoftwarefreesociety.org)
johnsu01 writes: "Activist groups Friends of the Earth International, the Green Party, People and
Planet, and the New Internationalist have joined the Free Software Foundation
to support a coalition statement advocating a free society based on free
software and criticizing Microsoft Vista,
published as part of the FSF's BadVista.org campaign.
The statement highlights dangers activists face when they are dependent on
proprietary software, including communications limited by DRM and surveillance,
and support of companies opposed to their political goals. Judging by the
number of signatures so
far,
Bruce Byfield may be right that this is a formal statement of the attitude
already occurring in the nonprofit world."
Submission + - Stallman GPLv3 release video transcribed
johnsu01 writes: "On June 29, Richard Stallman announced the release of the GNU General Public
License version 3 to the world from the Free Software Foundation office in
Boston, Massachusetts. His "ribbon-cutting" announcement was also a succinct
wrap-up of the 18-month drafting process, summarizing the changes that were
made and the reasoning behind them. Since the release, many people have been
looking for a straightforward explanation of what they need to know. This a
good place to start. The
transcript and Ogg Theora
video
have just been posted. A
torrent
is also available."
Submission + - 1TB Optical Discs Coming!
Anonymous Howard writes: Have you heard of Mempile? I haven't, but this company based out of Israel have gone on the record stating that they are working on a 1TB optical disc that is the same size as a standard DVD disc. They key here is that they have actually demonstrated the optical disc, dubbed TeraDisc, successfully, so it's not just vaporware. Mempile says it is using non-linear two-photon technology to read and record data in over 100 transparent "virtual" layers which take up the entire volume of a disc. The approach is radically different from conventional blue-laser technology like Blu-ray and HD DVD, in which partial reflection from multiple layers significantly reduces signal while increasing background noise and interference. Mempile's technology, conversely, can handle over 100 layers wile providing true WORM capabilities and bit-by-bit recording and addressing. The best part: Mempile recently demonstrated the technology to Japanese consumer electronics manufacturers and they were reported as being "amazed". Could this be the beginning of the end of the Blu-ray and HD-DVD format wars?
Submission + - Yahoo! Unlimited mail storage
osmansantos writes: "Apparently Yahoo! will provide unlimited mail storage starting in May, the webmail wars open a new chapter and I look forward to know how Google and Microsoft will respond to this. Is necessary unlimited storage in a webmail or the 2.8 GB of Gmail will be enough for most people? What do you think?"
Submission + - CDs - "I'm not dead yet!"
Lunch2000 writes: Turns out the fall of the big music cartels may create a renaissance for the CD. Up and coming retailers are changing their business models to fit the market and making a profit selling what many see as obsolete tech — CDs. By tailoring their inventory they are finding niches in the market place and thriving read the Slate article to find out why music on CD is not dead.
http://www.slate.com/id/2162771/?GT1=9231
Submission + - Novel Open Source Software Distribution System
SpectralDesign writes: "Is it a candy vending machine, or an Open Source software vending machine? That's what you might ask yourself if you walk past the proposed "Seneca Freedom Toaster", a concept that has won designer Andrew Smith (a fourth year Software Development student at Ontario's Seneca College) a $2500.00 prize to bring the concept to life.
Evan Weaver, Chair of the School of Computer Studies, says, "The Seneca Freedom Toaster's purpose is to encourage distribution and use of Open Source software, which is a very important cause for us at Seneca." Seneca College, Ontario's largest college — boasting a population of more than 100,000 students, has become more and more involved in Open Source software over the last number of years, in-part due to corporate partnerships such as with Mozilla.
Andrew says that many students have shied away from downloading Open Source software because of the time involved, and the difficulty in obtaining reliable and complete programs that are easy to install and upgrade. His idea for the Freedom Toaster came from exposure last year to a similar project in South Africa. To use the Freedom Toaster, simply bring your own CDR disc to the kiosk, and the library of Open Source software in it's hard drive is ready to browse and burn (err, Toast)."
Evan Weaver, Chair of the School of Computer Studies, says, "The Seneca Freedom Toaster's purpose is to encourage distribution and use of Open Source software, which is a very important cause for us at Seneca." Seneca College, Ontario's largest college — boasting a population of more than 100,000 students, has become more and more involved in Open Source software over the last number of years, in-part due to corporate partnerships such as with Mozilla.
Andrew says that many students have shied away from downloading Open Source software because of the time involved, and the difficulty in obtaining reliable and complete programs that are easy to install and upgrade. His idea for the Freedom Toaster came from exposure last year to a similar project in South Africa. To use the Freedom Toaster, simply bring your own CDR disc to the kiosk, and the library of Open Source software in it's hard drive is ready to browse and burn (err, Toast)."
