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Comment: As always, the difference of the GPL... (Score 1) 4

by frankie (#28256365) Attached to: Lori Drew, The SCO Group, and the GPL

To hold the GPL to a different standard than MySpace's terms of service just because we like the license is hypocritical

The difference between the GPL and pretty much all EULAs and ToSes is: the former grants extra rights while the latter takes away rights. If everything else were exactly the same, except the license did not exist, your use of MySpace would be freer, but your use of GPL code would be... nonexistent. It's someone else's copyrighted material, which is simply illegal to insert into your own work without permission. The only reason that people may redistribute GPL code is the GPL itself.

I fully support anyone's right to ignore stupid EULAs and ToSes. I also support their right to ignore the GPL, and not use the code. The hypocrisy is from anyone who thinks they should be allowed the freedoms given to them by one part of the GPL without the requirements laid down by the other part.

Comment: Re:freedom of expression (Score 2, Insightful) 665

by frankie (#28138469) Attached to: Wikipedia Bans Church of Scientology

Bad analogy. ISPs are in a position of power over its users. Generally there are only a handful of plausible choices for broadband internet in a given location. Wikipedia is just one information-gathering web site out of thousands. If you don't like Wikipedia's conditions, you can put your stuff somewhere else, including many completely free wiki sites. Whereas you can't set up your own independent broadband connection without a huge investment of money and effort.

Comment: Monkeys are safe again... but for how long? (Score 1) 104

by frankie (#28014903) Attached to: Gene Transfer Immunizes Against Monkey HIV Analog

Antibodies against HIV are extremely hard to get right. For example, Dan Barouch has kept a group of vaccinated monkeys with an SIV/HIV hybrid alive for years... except for one whose virus mutated in just the wrong way. Based on the limited information in the article, it seems like the U Penn study works similarly.

Comment: Re:More PERTINENT Post... (Score 1) 348

by frankie (#27909305) Attached to: Baby Monitors Killing Urban Wi-Fi

if a baby monitor is interfering with your cordless phone or WiFi, that is probably the least of your problems!

Umm... so what is the bigger problem you are implying? And what exactly can't you agree with? When a lot of 2.4GHz devices are all operating in close proximity (such as apartments in a city) there will be more interference than if those devices are farther apart. It's simple physics.

I know from direct experience that a single 2.4GHz consumer product (such as this one, which BTW does not tell you it uses 2.4GHz video anywhere on or in the box, and only states the much lower frequency of its control channel) can completely swamp WiFi across the width of a suburban house. If there weren't a big yard between us, it would probably knock out my neighbor's WiFi too.

Comment: Re:Let's celebrate! (Score 1) 270

by frankie (#27599295) Attached to: Jupiter's Great Red Spot Is Shrinking

Back to partisan sniping — has not Barack Obama already fixed the global warming problem some time last year (before even taking office)? The 2008 was, like, the coldest in decades and 2009 is not particularly warm either...

1: No matter how much people on ALL sides of the debate like to scream about the latest short-term variation, one or two years of air temperature data do not constitute a trend. Decades are probably the smallest useful increment for considering climate change.

2: Everyone knows global temperature has fallen recently because of the valiant efforts of Somali environmentalists. Ramen!

I hold it, that a little rebellion, now and then, is a good thing... -- Thomas Jefferson

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