JudicatorX - Slashdot User

Submission + - Where does Google's Hardware go to die ?

Submitted by

Anonymous Coward

on Tuesday January 16, 2007 @02:36AM

Anonymous Coward writes: "I was talking with a co-worker today about how Google is so big, and how they make such great use of commodity hardware to do their business, and one of the topics that came up is where does Google's old hardware go ? Google has been around for many years now, and they have more machines than any sane person would own, and they are continually expanding. At some stage they must have to push out old equipment, either when it starts entering into its MTBF limits or it's been depreciated down. Searching (using Google of course) wasn't particularly fruitful. Has anyone seen where Google's hardware goes when it dies ?"

Submission + - Fluendo releases WM, MPEG GStreamer codecs

Submitted by

joeljkp

on Monday January 15, 2007 @06:41PM

joeljkp writes: "Fluendo today released the first set of general-use GStreamer plugins for patented codecs such as Windows Media, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4. Previously available only in legally-questionable form from the FFMpeg or MPlayer projects, or bundled with the TurboLinux or Linspire products, these codecs now allow anyone using a GStreamer-based media player to view media produced with such codecs. The plugins are compatible with GStreamer 0.10.x, and are available from Fluendo's webshop."

Submission + - Is America really that bad?

Submitted by Fyz on Monday January 15, 2007 @05:10PM

Fyz writes: Being an avid reader of Slashdot and other internet-based media while living in Europe, it is easy to get the impression that the US is not a very nice place. Everyday, a steady stream of insane lawsuits, insane convictions, insane laws, insane rules and insane pundits dominate the news I get from the media. I'm planning a longer stay in the US to do some postgraduate studies in physics, in part because my instincts tell me that it can't possibly be as bad as the impression the news gives me. Basically, I'm hoping to get a reality check. So my questions are these: Isn't the feeling "on the ground" very much different than portrayed in discussion on this site? And are the many stories of peoples rights being trampled on something you can relate to, or are they rare extremes?

Submission + - Democrats Propose Mandatory DRM for Podcasts

Submitted by Knytefall on Monday January 15, 2007 @01:06PM

Knytefall writes: Joe Biden, Dianne Feinstein, and two GOP senators are sponsoring a bill called the PERFORM Act that would require podcasts with music and satellite radio to be locked-up with music industry-approved DRM software, according to a Cnet report and a statement from Sen. Feinstein's office. "All audio services — Webcasters included — would be obligated to implement "reasonably available and economically reasonable" copy-protection technology aimed at preventing "music theft" and restricting automatic recording." Do you really want the RIAA designing software and hardware?

Submission + - EU Commission Study Finds You'll Save Money Switch

Submitted by

PS3Penguin

on Friday January 12, 2007 @01:27PM

PS3Penguin writes: "Groklaw has a great story about the EU Commission's recent findings .. "Our findings show that, in almost all the cases, a transition toward open source reports of savings on the long term — costs of ownership of the software products." The study can be found here. Also available is the pdf file of the report. Of course .. we all knew that was the case :)"

Submission + - Is DRM Intrinsically Distasteful?

Submitted by jelton on Friday January 12, 2007 @11:56AM

jelton writes: If digital media was available for sale at a reasonable price, but subject to a DRM scheme that allowed full legitimate usage (format shifting, time shifting, playback on different devices, etc.) and only blocked illicit usage (illegal copying), would you support the usage of such a DRM scheme if it meant a wealth of readily available compatible devices? In other words, if you object to DRM schemes, is your objection based on principled or practical concerns?

Journal Journal: EMI is in trouble

Journal by ThePhilips on Friday January 12, 2007 @11:51AM

Funny article on Bloomberg: EMI Ousts Top Music Executives, Forecasts Lower Sales. Quote:

EMI Group Plc, the U.K. record company that signed the Beatles, ousted its two top music executives and forecast lower revenue after disappointing holiday sales.

Submission + - Orwellian Advertising in London

Submitted by

Giorgio Maone

on Friday January 12, 2007 @10:28AM

Giorgio Maone writes: "Sign of the Times's picture of the day is a poster placed out of the London Metro by the Transport for London agency whose slogan ("Secure beneath the watchful eyes") and artwork (many eyes floating over an urban landscape, recalling 50's sci-fi paperback covers) have an unmistakable, creepy 1984 taste."

Submission + - Conversion of proprietary codebase into GPL?

Submitted by mrthoughtful on Friday January 12, 2007 @08:07AM

mrthoughtful writes: We have worked for several man-years on the development of various proprietary software components, some of which we have no decided to release under GPL, including a new xml scripting language.

What we are looking for is a checklist, or a licensing migration guide in order to best manage the transition regarding the distribution, maintenance and management of OSS under GPL.

Unfortunately, most of the links I can find are based on how users may convert from proprietary to GPL software — but there is little I can find regarding the migration process from the supplier's point of view.

Submission + - Recruiter Blacklists or Company Blacklists

Submitted by

Anonymous Coward

on Tuesday January 09, 2007 @03:56AM

Anonymous Coward writes: "Back about 6 years ago I was unable to go to an interview because I was 350 miles away. Recently I met a female that worked for this company that I did not interview for. I found out that in their database they listed me as a "flake". Is this type of business practice legal? Does anyone else have stores out there about possible blacklists that exist on the internet. Do locations exist that list poor managers and the companies they work for with situations?"

Submission + - Living In the United States of Bush

Submitted by jogden on Tuesday January 09, 2007 @03:06AM

jogden writes: Presented here is a controversial editorial on the topic of the current freedom stripping laws recently passed in the US. Most notably the removal of habeas corpus in the Military Commissions Act. This is one of the most passionate editorials you will read today... from the article: "The moral and ethical violations to human rights and civil liberties are innumerable, and even the limited statute of habeas corpus in section 1005 does nothing to rid these violations. This act stands in violation of the Third Geneva Convention, to which the United States is a signed member. In reality this statue provides no legal time frame for a review of citizen status by the tribunal, and is always in favor of government evidence. The act also limits access to lawyers and evidence of the accused thereby reducing them to prisoners in a United States run internment camp."

Submission + - Open Source Dispersed Storage

Submitted by pararox on Tuesday January 09, 2007 @02:06AM

pararox writes: Can massive amounts of data be reliably and efficiently stored using the internet and heterogeneous servers? The Open Source Cleversafe project is partnering with ISPs and hosting providers around the world to create a "storage internet" using information dispersal. InfoWorld has an interview with Chris Gladwin talking about the future and viability of this approach.

Slashdot Top Deals