Slashback: Virginity, Tininess, Kiosks 30
Insatiable demand and a limited supply mean ... slashdoter writes " Remember the Virgin webplayer? The co-op has got a deal to buy the unsold units at $100 each, add on $10 for shipping and some extra for the Beer fund for our fearless leader and you too can have a hackable webplayer (without a TOS). You only have 2 or 3 days to get in so come on over and read the small print."
It may be officially too late to join, but this still would be a smart site to inquire at if you're looking to find one of these cute little machines, and just like waiting outside a ("sold out") Elvis Costello show, you might find a reasonable re-seller.
"Oooh! It's so cute and little!" rm-r writes "The New Scientist has an interview here with Gerald Marcyk, the head scientist behind the world's smallest transistor announced by Intel last week. The article also has some interesting pieces about the problems chip makers have as they get smaller and smaller."
Now if these were everywhere, where would be put the AOL CDs? The mysterious unnamed correpsondent writes: "This article was published on Securityfocus.com today about Linux Kiosks. It seems that with the Costa Rican Government providing free internet access to all citizens, this is a timely followup about how a country could use a RedHat Linux system to offer Free Internet Access much like we see present day telephones...on every corner, in every restaurant, and at every gas station. It was written by Anton Chuvakin, a Ph.D student in Europe, and maintainer of the Pocket Linux Distribution HOWTO."
This certainly is an interesting vision, and not far-fetched. Can't we all pitch in and lay some fiber like Hands Across America?
[Update]-- until someone pokes an eye out. Here is part six of the continuing reprint of Jon Katz' Hellmouth Saga. Parts five, four, three, two and one are also available to digest if you've not before.
Some more instructions... (Score:1)
a great messageboard [kenseglerdesigns.com] of all topics webplayer
Slashdot's last article [slashdot.org] on the webplayer
Chip makers are getting smaller? (Score:1)
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Re:Real PC - :$199 linux -- does the thinknic work (Score:1)
RReal PC - e:$199 linux -- does the thinknic work? (Score:1)
Jon Katz? (Score:1)
It was a pretty good decision. Slashdot is much more pleasant to me now. I had pretty much forgotten he existed until they mentioned him here. Has he improved at all lately? I'm not yet feeling up to looking, but I'd be glad to hear what others feel.
Re:Attention "Friends" and "Family" (Score:1)
Better read this again... (Score:1)
Re:About those Internet Kiosks (Score:1)
I've seen 1 in 3 years, bad memory stick.
Re:Answer: "Oooh! It's so cute and little!" (Score:1)
Answer:
- B46y 600t3d up, U R 0wnd!
- PLEASE READ THIS LOVELETTER FOR YOU
- Where is that cute little paperclip?
- I looked at your cashed gifs...
- Condoms? my last boyfriend hated them.
- No way you'll get root back.
Re:Answer: "Oooh! It's so cute and little!" (Score:1)
Karma Police, arrest this man, he talks in maths
Re:Real PC - :$199 linux -- does the thinknic work (Score:1)
Used HP 735/125 workstation - $125 Canadian, computer surplus store
Re:Answer: "Oooh! It's so cute and little!" (Score:1)
About those Internet Kiosks (Score:1)
User: What the hell is this "K" down here? Where's Netscape? Why can't I save my pr0n to a disk? What's this "warning: the following hosts could not be found" message when I start up Netscape?
AHH! THE KERNEL PANICKED! WHAT DO I DO? WHAT DO I DO?
Can anyone hear me? HEELLLP
Ubiquitous Linux Terminals Omnipresent (Score:1)
Perhaps starting in French territories they could put those Linux terminals, with MinitelPlus connections, in all public facilities and maybe one per every 200 people in a small village or town? Then other countries could piggyback off their system
TERMINALS (Score:1)
The local broadband mononpoly here has these display booths. They used to be placed by babbages, and had these nice little mid-towers running windows. (9.X) There was 4 or 5, depending on the day. Now, I knew the people that were 'attending' over the booth. Some great games took place there. Anyways, now they have these flat screen LCD'S and a 'sleek' interface, and it feels very unnatrual to be playing games on these machines. I guess I just have trouble playing a game when I cant take out a screw-driver and adjust my soundcard in the middle of it. Just my rambling thought for today.
"I have not slept a wink"
William Shakespeare,Cybelime
Re:Answer: "Oooh! It's so cute and little!" (Score:1)
Question: What are six words you DON'T want to hear your girlfriend say?
Answer:
- I think I'm having a baby
- I slept with another guy yesterday
- I'm sorry, but I just farted
- I've gotta tell you I'm pregnant
Re:Not the smallest transistor? (Score:2)
-Jason
Re:Telco Interference (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Telco Interference (Score:2)
Re:Jon Katz? (Score:2)
He`s amusing, if you go for irony in a big way. I do occasionally, but i still have him blocked.
Perhaps he performs a useful function - i`m sure his poorly thought out articles serve only to spur on people who are considering a similar career in a `if he can do it, maybe i should give it a try after all` kind of way.
But ultimately, to answer your question: No. He sucks, and hard.
Re:Telco Interference (Score:2)
Only Redhat? (Score:2)
How to hack the Virgin Webplayer... (Score:3)
Full instructions here: http://www.larwe.com/techref/webplayer.html [larwe.com]
Virgin Webplayer Coop (Score:3)
Re:Hacking the Virgin WebPlayer (Score:3)
I don't think that this is a fair statement. I can see why you made it, but *if* the coop arranges a second shipment at the current price (some of the members are discussing this), e-bay isn't really a competitive price alternative.
When researching E-bay prices, it is critical to search "Completed Items" [not "Active Items"] to see what the units actually sold for, since almost all the bidding takes place in the final hour, and the prices in the search results aren't updated particularly often.
At the time I write this, exactly one out of 70 Webplayers [ebay.com] sold in the past several weeks went for under $110. (It had a crummy picture in the ad) Almost all (66/70) sold for $150-250 [one didn't sell and two sold for $120-145], so I wouldn't count on "beating the co-op price" on E-bay any time soon -- based on the observation that winning bids for I-Openers [ebay.com] haven't dropped much in 6 months. (the lowball numbers in preceding search are mostly Iopener parts, like SODIMMs)
I have absolutely no stake in the Co-op.
Answer: "Oooh! It's so cute and little!" (Score:4)
Not the smallest transistor? (Score:5)
-Jason
Hacking the Virgin WebPlayer (Score:5)
If you feel left out, because the co-op is out of WebPlayers, check out ebay [ebay.com] which has some WebPlayers [ebay.com] for sale. Some of them are even less than the $110 offered by the co-op.
I'm planning on taking my WebPlayer apart, not reprogramming it. If you're into that as well, check out this page [larwe.com].
Thalia
Webplayer Coop... (Score:5)
Anyhow, I am in the "middle" of "hacking" my own box - an Acer NT-150. Full details can be found here [phoenixgarage.net]. Both Acer and Liberate seem to be stonewalling me for information. That and the fact that it is only me working on it doesn't help matters...
However, you may still find one on Ebay from the guy I bought from! Search under "N/C Network Computer" - you are sure to find one. They tend to go real cheap - 15->20 dollars. I am certain they can be made to do some interesting stuff, we just need more people on it...
Worldcom [worldcom.com] - Generation Duh!