Hucko - Slashdot User

Imperical Study shows DRM encourages infringement 0

Submitted by Hucko on Thursday May 28 2009, @07:28AM

Hucko writes "Ars Technica has a story about a study by Cambridge law professor Patricia Akester that suggests (declares?) that DRM and its ilk does persuade citizens to infringe copyright and circumvent authors' protections. The name of the study is "Technological accommodation of conflicts between freedom of expression and DRM: the first empirical assessment" apparently does precisely what it lays claim to. I haven't been able to download the study or its distillation. Perhaps there is an Ars effect too."

Alternative to Google Earth? NASA's World Wind-> 0

Submitted by Hucko on Thursday July 12 2007, @09:00PM

Hucko writes "Many references to Google seem to have become a little wary of the amount of data they are hoarding, and the number of different applications they are accumulating. I recently began search for alternatives for the applications I was becoming too dependent on. One of those tools is Google Earth (GE). Well, NASA has released an alternative to GE as opensource that has a number of features not available for GE such as multiple worlds.

From the wiki, "World Wind, an open source 3D interactive world viewer, was created by NASA's Learning Technologies project, and released in mid-2004. It is now developed by NASA staff and open source community developers." World Wind has many addons such as 'Wild Sanctuary', 'UN Peacekeeping Missions' and 'BrinkX' as well as a type of plugin. Add-on Launchpad explains the difference.

Currently there is only a MS Windows version, with ports started for Mac OSX and Linux which don't seem to have proceeded. There is also work proceeding for a java based core

I don't possess a Windows box so have not been able to try this out. Has anyone used this? How does it compare to GE?"
Link to Original Source

Living in underwater complex

Submitted by Hucko on Thursday February 22 2007, @04:22PM

Hucko writes "A lot of Sci-fi stories concerning the near future (21st and 22nd centuries) have had some reference to living underwater in some form: evil villain's lab, cities etc. Why aren't we hearing about various stations being built in the vast areas oceans? Are people working on it? Surely there are numerous commercial ventures that could be viable and have profitable gains (the tourist industry would be the first idea, no doubt there are better ideas to be discussed). With all the frontier talk being about going to the moon/mars, I'd almost be just as excited about permanent habitation in an underwater complex."

"Plan 9"ing computer architectures

Submitted by Hucko on Tuesday January 30 2007, @11:52PM

Hucko writes "If we were to design a personal computer based on the knowledge and ideas of Dec 2006, what would the Plan 9 of hardware be like? What "mistakes" and standards would we drop completely? Compatibility with current systems not necessary."