neovoxx - Slashdot User

Comment Medicine (Score 1) 365

by neovoxx on Friday July 11, 2008 @10:23PM (#24160991) Attached to: What Would Benefit Most By Adopting an Open-Source Development Method?

Though it's still early in the polls, I'm quite surprised to see that medicine isn't doing any better than it is. I personally can't imagine any subject benefiting more so than medicine in using an open source method. Just imagine if medicine weren't burdened by patents and how it could truly benefit everyone. With an open source development method, we could see many more treatment options open up much faster due to input and tests from a much larger group than a single company.

Submission + - MySpace is Free Speech, Case Overturned

Submitted by

eldavojohn

on Tuesday April 10, 2007 @09:02AM

eldavojohn writes: "The Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled that a judge violated the constitution after placing a juvenile on probation for an expletive laden MySpace entry on the principal. The court decided that the juvenile had unconstitutionally revoked her free speech rights and the judge had suppressed politically motivated free speech since the comments were directly attacking school policy. I think we are starting to see a fine line develop online as it did with print — bullying & slander are punishable while we have to allow criticism of ideas no matter how harsh it is."

Submission + - Use Linux?....Sansa does not want your business

Submitted by StressGuy on Tuesday April 10, 2007 @08:55AM

StressGuy writes: Recently picked up a SanDisk Sansa (tm) c200 MP3 player. It was on sale and had the feature set I wanted (voice record, FM radio, small, USB drive mode). My home computer runs Kubuntu Linux and it seemed to work great. While I could not make the .plp format playlist it require (though I undersand it's possible), I could use EasyTag to make custom "Albums" for my workout sets. So far so good right? Then, I wanted to update the firmware. Sansa provides a .exe file for automating the process but all that really happens is that it copies the necessary files into the Sansa root directory and the unit itself will auto-install on the next data referesh. So, not having Windows, I asked SanDisk tech support where I could obtain the files to install manually. Here is the response: "Thank you for contacting SanDisk Technical Support. It is our goal to make sure you have all the resources you need to get the most from your product through your recent inquiry into our product line. We do apologize for any kind inconvenience this issue is causing you but the Sansa c200 is not supported on Linux. Also, the firmware update is on the Auto Updater which is supported on Windows XP. If you have just bought your Sansa c200, we do recommend that you contact the store where you purchased it and inquire about replacements that can be supported on your operating system or if that store honor refunds, please do ask for it. Please do provide the proof of purchase and packaging for verification purposes. Should you have any further assistance, inquiries or concerns, please do not hesitate to reply to this e-mail." Not believing such a brush-off response....I asked a clarifying question: "Wow...harsh... It appears you did not actually answer my two questions at all. Instead, you simply told me to return my mp3 player and get something else. Do I understand that right?" ....and, they reiterated.... "We do apologize but the Sansa c200 and the updater is not supported on Linux but on Windows XP and Windows Vista. We recommended to return the Sansa c200 for refund or exchange of a player supported on Linux in order to save you on troubles because as we previously stated, it is not supported on Linux both the player and the updater. Currently, we have no immediate plans to have a Linux supported player and that what we can do for now is to forward this information to the proper personnel for review and we do thank you for pointing this issue to our attention. Again, our sincere apologies for the inconveniences this has brought you. Should you have any further assistance, inquiries or concerns, please do not hesitate to reply to this e-mail." At this point, I'm kinda getting reminded of the "cheese shop" bit on Monty Python and decide to see if I can actually get him to answer my original question (is a manual update possible?). "The Rapsody version of your e200 series has the firmware available as a zip file along with manual installation instructions. Is it also possible to do a manual install for your other MP3 players?" ....he initially evades the question entirely..... "The firmware for the Rhapsody version Sansa e200 is only exclusive to Rhapsody version Sansa e200 (the Rhapsody version Sansa e200 has the Rhapsody Channel on the main menu) and is not applicable to the Sansa c200 or the Standard Sansa e200. This may corrupt the Standard Sansa e200 or the Sansa c200 when installed the firmware for the Rhapsody version Sansa e200. Should you have any further assistance, inquiries or concerns, please do not hesitate to reply to this e-mail." Having "further inquiries and concerns".....I press the point.... "I did not ask if I could install the Rhapsody firmware on my player...so let me try again... Is it possible to download and manually install the c200 firmware?" And finally, he answers one of the original questions: "There is no way to install manually the Sansa c200 firmware. You'll have to download the Auto Updater so that your Sansa c200 will have the latest firmware version. Should you have any further assistance, inquiries or concerns, please do not hesitate to reply to this e-mail." Considering the Rhapsody version of the player, and researching the matter on the various MP3-related blogs, etc. would indicate the above statement is incorrect — if not an out-and-out lie. Furthermore, it appears that the original response is a "stock answer" given whenever a non-Windows user makes an inquiry about manually installing the flash update. So, I still like the Sansa....but it is clear that tech support is not going to help me. Still, for every effect there is an underlying cause. Why would Sandisk artifically limit their MP3 players to a single OS....even going so far as to tell other OS users that "we don't want your business"?

Feed Cracked HD-DVD and Blu-Ray app keys revoked (theregister.com)

From feed by registerfeed on Tuesday April 10, 2007 @08:52AM

Disavowed

A next-generation DVD security group has responded to hack attacks that allow unfettered access to Blu-Ray and HD-DVD content by pulling the encryption keys of PC applications associated with the attack.

Apple Ships 8-Core MacPro 628

Posted by CmdrTaco on Wednesday April 04, 2007 @09:52AM from the way-more-cores-than-the-earth dept.

ivan1024 writes "The Apple website is announcing the availability of an 8-core Mac Pro. The machine will ship with two 3.0 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon 5300 processors. Older models with the Dual-Core chips remain available. Base model with two 3.0 GHz Quad-Core Xeon processors start at $3997, (albeit with unacceptably minimal RAM or HD space; fully spec'd with dual 30" monitors and tons o' RAM/HD still over $10K... bummer)"

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