It took me a while to realize that the story you linked was from the year 2000! The DVD artefact discussion made me check the dates. However, looking at the story 12 years later makes me wonder how this poll might amuse us 12 years from now, if we are around (/. will live in archives somewhere even if it were to die in the present form).

...but the antenna section is in the hub-by.

How can you insert a pre-written sequence in an organism and ensure it plays out perfectly? Wouldn't the system monitoring and affecting the state of each particle introduce unintended changes in other particles? Also note that without this system, you would need to write down the state of every particle that interacted with the 'being' during its life time and ensure that the interaction was replayed exactly. However, this would necessitate isolating the new organism completely from any other external influence and close any path for information escaping, which would also mean that you would have no way in the world to know if the experience of the new organism was the same.

Oh, by the way, the act of measuring the particle states of the original organism would also introduce changes, which means that...eventually you would need to map and isolate the entire universe and measure it over infinity...and...

Well, you'd need to be a god, or something even beyond a god.

The GPL may be enforceable, at least till Telstra continues to distribute the devices on outright sale. DTH operators, on the other hand, make their customers sign a contract that specifies that the Set Top Boxes / DVRs being provided are solely the property of the operator, and are being leased to the customer with minimal rights being transferred. Most of these devices use the Linux kernel and other GPL / open source tools to function.

In such a case, the operator may take a plea that by leasing the device, it is not Distributing the software, and therefore is not liable for compliance with GPL. This plea may be used even if there is no provision for return, replacement or repair of the device beyond its warranty period, and the payment made by the customer is equal to the market price for similar equipment.

I am not sure if the excuse mentioned by the operator is legally tenable (in whichever jurisdiction), but it sure does put a stop to many people's impulses to tweak and tinker.

Now, I have received a free HD DVR with my TV purchase, and I can't even try to hack it to do more or expose its guts. What a shame.

THIS is the perfect opportunity for someone to use the phrase "When are you?"