wethion - Slashdot User

Comment: Just read the license and Priv. statement (Score 5, Insightful) 219

by wethion on Tuesday February 19 2008, @04:14PM (#22480212) Attached to: DVD Jon Creates DRM Killer

Umm.. after reading them relatively carefully, I don't think I'll be using that software. Basically, you give us your info, we update ourselves on what you're doing, we send it to the Cayman Islands and we promise promise promise never to give it to anyone else unless you agree, we're bought, subpoena'd or otherwise compromised. Somehow... I don't think so. Peace.

In Russia, 50% of News Must Be Happy 551

Posted by kdawson on Saturday April 21 2007, @06:54PM
from the ministry-of-truth dept.

Several readers sent us to the New York Times for disturbing news on Russia's vanishing press freedoms. The story tells of how one of the few remaining relatively independent radio outlets in Russia recently acquired new managers, reportedly loyal to Vladimir Putin. Quoting: "At their first meeting with journalists since taking over Russia's largest independent radio news network, the managers had startling news of their own: from now on, they said, at least 50 percent of the reports about Russia must be 'positive.' In addition, opposition leaders could not be mentioned on the air and the United States was to be portrayed as an enemy, journalists employed by the network, Russian News Service, say they were told by the new managers, who are allies of the Kremlin."

Clean slate Internet projects mean end to privacy?

Submitted by srijon on Saturday April 21 2007, @09:48AM

srijon writes "this article by Steve Watson observes that recently discussed clean slate Internet projects pay scant regard to privacy. From the article:

In tandem with broad data retention legislation currently being introduced worldwide, such "clean slate" projects may represent a considerable threat to the freedom of the internet as we know it. EU directives and US proposals for data retention may mean that any normal website or blog would have to fall into line with such new rules and suddenly total web regulation would become a reality.
Though the article lacks any "smoking gun", it provides a good summary of existing efforts to clamp down on the net. Certainly Standford's clean slate white paper is alarming because it pays scant regard to privacy, stating only that the new internet should "support anonymity where prudent, and accountability where necessary.""

Microsoft Is Sued For Patent Violation Over .NET 288

Posted by Zonk on Saturday April 21 2007, @04:12AM
from the is-it-weird-to-root-for-the-megacorp-on-this-one dept.

randomErr writes "As reported by Info World, Microsoft was issued a cease and desist order on February 7 of this year by Vertical Computer Systems. The order was for patent infringement by the current implementations of the .NET framework. Both the .NET framework and Vertical Computer Systems' SiteFlash use XML to create component-based structures that are used to build and operate web sites. Vertical Computer Systems is requesting a full jury trial. If VCS prevails, .NET technology implementations as we know them may completely change and Microsoft would probably have to pay out a hefty sum."