Wobble-U - Slashdot User

Submission + - Microsoft fine overturned

Submitted by ddrichardson on Tuesday August 07, 2007 @05:21AM

ddrichardson writes: Following up on an earlier story, Microsoft's $1.5bn fine in the case with Alcatel-Lucent has been over turned. Microsoft are claiming a "victory for consumers". From the article:

A US court has overturned a decision ordering Microsoft to pay phone firm Alcatel-Lucent $1.52bn (£777m) for infringing music patents. The federal judge in San Diego reversed a jury's decision which had ruled that Microsoft's Media Player software infringed on two Alcatel patents.

Submission + - Google Partners with OIN "To Help Linux Thrive (groklaw.net)

Submitted by

lymeca

on Tuesday August 07, 2007 @05:01AM

lymeca writes: "Groklaw reports that Google has become the Open Invention Network's first end user licensee. The OIN was established by companies such as IBM, Red Hat, and somewhat ironically Novell to accumulate patents and license them royalty free to any company who promises not to leverage their own patent portfolio against key applications available on GNU/Linux, including many GNU projects as well as Linux itself. As Chris DiBona, Google's open source programs manager puts it:

Linux plays a vital role at Google, and we're strongly committed to supporting the Linux developer community. We believe that by becoming an Open Invention Network licensee, we can encourage Linux development and foster innovation in a way that benefits everyone. We're proud to participate in OIN's mission to help Linux thrive.
This marks an important and symbolic step forward in the battle between Free/Open Source Software and the looming specter of software patent infringements in nations which recognise them. Google's support bolsters the OIN's effectiveness as a shield against patent attacks against GNU/Linux and many popular applications which run on it."

Submission + - Eight Parties Join Suit Against YouTube/Google (nzherald.co.nz)

Submitted by

eldavojohn

on Monday August 06, 2007 @10:30PM

eldavojohn writes: "Things have worsened in the copyright suit against Google for its YouTube service. eight more parties have joined among them the National Music Publishers' Association, which is the largest US music publishing trade association, the Rugby Football League, the Finnish Football League Association and author Daniel Quinn. Back in May, Google commented on this suit by saying "These suits simply misunderstand the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which balances the rights of copyright holders against the need to protect internet communications and content.""

Submission + - Time travel barriers overcome... (newswise.com)

Submitted by

Samarian Hillbilly

on Friday August 03, 2007 @04:08AM

Samarian Hillbilly writes: "Israeli physicist Amos Ori claims to have overcome many of the theoretical obstacles to time travel. He claims that a space-time warp could "evolve" on it's own with a little bit of a "push". Caveats, travel would only be possible between times that have developed this technology and implemented the infrastructure.
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/532037/"

Submission + - Russian Cyber Gunslingers For Hire (blogspot.com)

Submitted by

Rapide

on Friday August 03, 2007 @03:02AM

Rapide writes: "A [Russian] publication called Chacker recently published — with no legal consequences — precise instructions on how to hack into the Web sites of foreign governments. http://swedemeat.blogspot.com/2007/08/russian-cybe r-gunslingers-for-hire.html"

Submission + - Nissan turns to high-tech to stop drink driving

Submitted by StonyandCher on Friday August 03, 2007 @02:57AM

StonyandCher writes: As part of its drive to reduce road deaths and injuries, Nissan Motor has installed in a car three prototype high-tech systems designed to stop drink driving.

The first attempts to directly detect alcohol in the driver's sweat and gear shift lever. A second system in the car uses a camera mounted in front of the driver to monitor eye movement. If the driver is drowsy it triggers the seat belt to tighten and this movement will hopefully snap the driver out of their drowsiness or prompt them to take a rest. A third system monitors the path of the vehicle to ensure it's traveling in a straight line and not weaving about the road, as is common with a drunken driver.

Submission + - 20 Yet Unreleased Gadgets for Geeks (autopartsplace.com)

Submitted by

ipodwheels

on Friday August 03, 2007 @02:34AM

ipodwheels writes: "The following are the devices that I feel will be a part of the future's digital lifestyle. From infrared keyboards, to edible music media, these will surely have you drooling. The following has been a compilation of gadgets still under development at NEC. This story later inspired the "List of Gadgets not Sold in the US" on the Auto Parts Blog which on the other hand listed gadgets that are "banned" for distribution in the US."

Submission + - Crackdown on Modchip sellers (bbc.co.uk)

Submitted by Mordok-DestroyerOfWo on Friday August 03, 2007 @01:29AM

Mordok-DestroyerOfWo writes: The BBC is reporting on a series of raids conducted against mod chip resellers in the US. I'm just trying to figure out how selling this technology is a crime, I've always been of the opinion that if you're willing to take the risk of permanent harm to your system then more power to you. How will this affect the future of console modding?

Submission + - A funny critique of Simpsons haters... (tvsquad.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 03, 2007 @01:12AM

An anonymous reader writes: Jay Black over at TV Squad has angered the geek-a-toids by calling out everyone who has ever hated on the Simpsons to put up or shut up. It's a great and funny read — make sure you check out the comments section where every single critique of the article is, itself, exactly what Jay is mocking.

Submission + - Desktop Linux: does anyone care? (zdnet.com.au)

Submitted by ramboando on Thursday August 02, 2007 @08:55PM

ramboando writes: There's been a lot of fanfare about Linux replacing Windows on desktops but we've yet to see all but a few vendors offer Linux as a pre-installed option. Dell offers Ubuntu, but only in the US, and Acer notebooks are being pre-installed with Ubuntu it on Singapore. Initially they decided not to sell it in the UK, but have now flip-floped on their decision and said it will be made available.

ZDNet Australia talked to several manufacturers, and industry experts to find out how long we'll have to wait.

Submission + - NY Times "Free" trial is a trap (nytimesee.com)

Submitted by LiquidCoooled on Thursday August 02, 2007 @06:58PM

LiquidCoooled writes: The New York Times have recently begun offering an exact digital replica of the daily newspaper.
However to get a look at this nifty sounding site, you must signup and leave your credit card details.
The only thing which concerns me is the following:

Page Headline: Free: Try The New York Times Electronic Edition For 7 Days

Clause lower down: The first charge will be on the 5th day of your 7-day free trial.

My question then, how do I get a free 7 day trial?

Submission + - Imprisonment without trial proposed in UK (bbc.co.uk)

Submitted by on Sunday July 15, 2007 @07:24AM

An anonymous reader writes: According to a BBC article, the head of the UK Association of Chief Police Officers has asked for terrorism suspects to be held "for as long as it takes" to finish an investigation, without being charged, without being given a trial, and with no upper limit to the time this could go on for. I, for one, would be more afraid of the police than of the terrorists if they were given this power.

Submission + - Wider Integration of OLPC?

Submitted by

headkase

on Sunday July 15, 2007 @04:04AM

headkase writes: "As everyone knows, the One Laptop Per Child project is a noble effort. Once the laptops begin to enter wide circulation are there more supporting systems that could complement OLPC? Imagine financial, logistical, and knowledge mechanisms working in concert. The Internet infrastructure comes first so as an example a village needs to build a water well. So they have a wireless connection and they access a logistical site that is basically Wikipedia for how-to(s). The how-to(s) tell them how to make a well and the logistical infrastructure provides information on what required parts can be manufactured locally and what needs to be ordered (such as one metal piece as part of the well-pumping mechanism). Then financial supports could subsidize specific items only such as the one piece that couldn't be made locally in the well pump example. Now, the software to implement all this would be a great open source project to develop with the OLPC hardware as the target. Basically the question is this: should the OLPC project expand out from an initial position of just providing hardware into wider education, philanthropy, and self sustainable development missions? Please try to elaborate more on these or your own ideas."

Submission + - Computer Science or Info Tech?

Submitted by on Sunday July 15, 2007 @03:23AM

An anonymous reader writes: I am currently completing my final year of secondary schooling, and in the next few weeks I need to submit my university (or college to all you Americans) preferences for processing. I've decided that I want a career in the IT industry, but am unsure of whether to apply for a Computer Science course or an Information Technology course. I understand the difference between the two courses (CS being the study of the principles and concepts involved in Computing at a more fundamental, and often more sophisticated level, and IT being a more practical, application based approach to computing), but would like to know from anybody who has studied either or both of the courses what kinds of careers each course would lead into and what would you recommend for someone such as myself, having a broad range of interests and wishing to dabble in everything before deciding where to specialise?

Submission + - Why does Linux suck? (newsvine.com)

Submitted by

darutha

on Sunday July 15, 2007 @01:53AM

darutha writes: "User DeepThought has started a charged debate at Newsvine regarding the modular nature of Linux.

From the article:

"Given that 93% of the desktops in the world run an Operating System that costs an arm-and-a-leg, there must be something seriously wrong when you cannot give your Operating System away. So, why does Linux suck?""

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