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Comment Re:Split the cost (Score 1) 3

That would have been satisfactory.

The way I read things, if Stallman had asked for financial support, he would have got it. And no one on the Israeli side of things would even think to prevent him from speaking at whatever Palestinian venue that he might have lined up.

However, he just said "Sorry, I'm not coming". He needs to ask for something in order to get it.

Submission + - Stallman succumbs to Palestinian boycott 3

TDDPirate writes: From: Richard Stallman
Sent: Saturday, May 28, 2011 9:31 PM
Subject: I have to cancel the speeches at universities

The funds for my travel to Israel are coming from Palestinians who
invited me to give talks for them. They are unhappy that I offered to
give talks at Israeli universities, and say they won't buy the
tickets if I'm going to do that. So I can go, and cancel these
speeches, or not go, and cancel these speeches.

I think it is best if I go, and give the speeches they originally
invited me to give.

I am sorry for the disappointment this will cause.

--
Dr Richard Stallman
President, Free Software Foundation
51 Franklin St
Boston MA 02110
USA
www.fsf.org, www.gnu.org
Skype: No way! That's nonfree (freedom-denying) software.
Use free telephony http://directory.fsf.org/category/tel/

Comment Re:Fail (Score 2, Insightful) 259

Well, yes, you're right, the internet is at it's core a point-to-point protocol, but its patterns are not the same as telegraph.

Telegraph didn't have a storage mechanism, while the internet does. You couldn't use telegraph to do something as basic as a webpage or an FTP server - the cost of having a living person handling the requests was too high. Telegraph was basically used as a messaging system, like SMS but with less spam.

Another difference is the number of points of access. The internet scales much, much better than telegraph. Even 3rd world countries usually have some sort of access to the internet, at public libraries or such venues. It's also vastly cheaper than telegraph ever was.

Privacy

UK School Introduces Facial Recognition 214

Penguin_me writes "A UK school has quietly introduced new facial recognition systems for registering students in and out of school: 'HIGH-TECH facial recognition technology has swept aside the old-fashioned signing of the register at a school. Sixth-formers will now have their faces scanned as they arrive in the morning at the City of Ely Community College. It is one of the first schools in the UK to trial the new technology with its students. Face Register uses the latest high-tech gadgets to register students in and out of school in just 1.5 seconds.'"
Games

Rockstar Appeals British Ban on Manhunt 2 56

1up is reporting (via MCV) that Rockstar has decided to appeal the BBFC ruling on their uber-violent Manhunt 2 title. The 'next step' is to get a hearing scheduled, which will allow the game to be demo'd and arguments given. "Rockstar Games had been given six weeks to appeal the decision, and with that opportunity about to expire, the company lodged its formal appeal yesterday ... The appeal was filed with the Video Appeals Committee, which can overturn the BBFC decision. As noted in our first article about the ban, the VAC overturned the BBFC's ban of Carmageddon back in 1997, giving Rockstar a glimmer of hope in its current situation."

Robots Could Some Day Demand Legal Rights 473

Karrde712 writes "According to a study by the British government, as reported by the BBC, robots may some day improve to a level of intelligence where they might be able to demand rights, even 'robo-healthcare'." From the article: "The research was commissioned by the UK Office of Science and Innovation's Horizon Scanning Centre. The 246 summary papers, called the Sigma and Delta scans, were complied by futures researchers, Outsights-Ipsos Mori partnership and the US-based Institute for the Future (IFTF) ... The paper which addresses Robo-rights, titled Utopian dream or rise of the machines? examines the developments in artificial intelligence and how this may impact on law and politics." I'd better get started on my RoboAmerican studies degree.

Peter Jackson Will Not Be Making The Hobbit 467

An anonymous reader writes "Due to legal wranglings with New Line Cinema over accounting issues for Lord Of The Rings, Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh will not be involved in the making of either The Hobbit or the planned Lord of the Rings prequel." I suppose there is still a chance that Jackson & Co. could end up involved, but at this point that looks unlikely.

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