So if you have an iPad and you currently sync it with a PC, you need to buy a Mac mini and a subscription to a service that costs $99 per year (iPhone developer program) in order to turn your iPad into a computer. Otherwise, the iPad is called an "appliance". Your microwave oven has a microprocessor, but do you ordinarily think of it as a "computer"?

Nexus one is almost exactly the same phone as the Desire, HTC made the Nexus for Google. The desire has just added firm keys instead of the Nexus touchscreen keys at the bottom and changed the crazy ball for a crazy optical eye - oh and slung the HTC Sence interface on top of it, which really is the USP. Same screen, same processor, same battery, same phone.

Then how are all these apps being written for it?

Well this IS Brazil.

This same country allowed an American wife to abduct a child, and then after the wife died in Brazil, the country continued to hold the man's son for another ~5 years, rather than return the son to his rightful home in the U.S. and genetic father. There are around 100 similar U.S. children being illegally held by Brazil, and the courts/government refuse to do anything about it. Brazil is more akin to Mexico in its corruption of the courts.

So do I find this ruling that corporations like Google or Walmart are liable for the actions of their anonymous customers? Not at all. Seems par for the course.

Real climate scientists have been fighting for years... It is the climate evangelists that have been ignoring everyone else up until now.

Although there are certainly some technical issues with Flash in mobile, this was a calculated business decision by Steve Jobs. Technical issues are only excuses by the Apple camp. Apple decided to ban Flash because the Flash Platform would hurt Apple's ability to differentiate its devices. Check out this perspective: http://franciscokattan.com/2010/03/07/why-steve-jobs-will-never-put-adobe-flash-on-iphone-os-devices/ Note also the reasons behind Apple's support for HTML5 in the comment thread (despite the fact that HTML5 would also tend to hurt the iPhone's ability to differentiate). Although I'm a former Adobe mobile employee, this post represents only my personal opinion.

OK I said it.

But seriously though, a smart move by Valve if they can pull it off. There is an untapped market for real games on Linux. They would be the only game (pardon pun) in town, and many/any linux user would likely be more than happy to fork over money for games that run naively on Linux, particularly given the cost structure and the slick nature of remote distribution by Steam. I would even go so far to say that many, having saved 100-400$ by not having to buy a Windows OS, would justify or rationalize spending more on Valve games, and this is "Free" money (i.e. they saved it initially, so why not spend it on things that are fun, like games).

So while "Year of the Linux Desktop" it might not be, it is certainly a step in the right direction, as well as a step towards OS parity.

In another note, it might be interesting to see if this effects netbooks. Steam has a lot of independents, and smallish, low horsepower type games that are really cheap. Netbooks can only install stuff via networks (generally speaking). So think of a netbook, running Linux, and Steam, and using that service to install netbook friendly games onto netbooks. An interesting combination I think. Particularly given the low cost nature of all the above... low cost netbook, low cost linux, low cost gaming... Definatly a niche, but perhaps a very popular/profitable one. Look at iPhones for example.

I highly doubt that this would happen. ARM is currently one of the most important tech player on the market. If apple is interested it is straightforward that many other wealthy companies would try to outbid apple. From what I can see, apple is using some nasty tactics and even microsoft looks like a good puppy right now in comparison. This acquisition would make the tech industry and its consumers suffer big time. For now I am completely discarding this rumour - especially when I look at ARMH's stock price - I sense manipulation.

IIRC 2.6.32 is considered an "LTS" kernel. Occasionally, kernels are "suggested" to be used for longer support cycle releases for distros. Ubuntu 10.04 is using .32 as well.

I am not quite sure if the EU and the US would allow such a deal after all it basically would be problematic for an entire industry with billions of dollars in revenue.
ARM has pretty much a monopoly on handheld processors.

I usually get 15, I got 5 twice in a row a while back but that's abnormal.

I think it has to do with the number of comments modded up, as well as the amount of moderation. Starting with +2 karma bonus, I can only get 3 up-mods, but with +1 logged in bonus I can get +4 for a total of 5.

If I'm in an insightful mood I usually have 2 or 3 comments at +3 (plus karma) at the same time, and 15 mod points. When I had only 5 mod points, I think I just had 1 or two comments at +1 (with karma to make +3).

Hey, screw this debate, isn't the slashdot code open source? I'm not looking, but if you want to know I'm sure that would help more than nerd fights. Don't get me wrong I like nerd fights, but usually when there's something to debate. Objective code isn't debatable! Except for Objective-C, lots of people object to it, hence the name. Right? I'm confused now, what was the question?

Didn't the last guy who pulled data from Facebook get threatened with a frivolous lawsuit with a nebulous charge of "terms of use" infringement? Who in their right mind is going to use a new and improved API, when in reality anyone pulling data from Facebook is risking crossing a vaguely defined line on what Facebook likes and what they'll sue over?

I have a family to feed and no money for even threatened lawsuits... I don't even know if my "normal" facebook use is legal since the whole point of social network is data mining for personal gain, and that guy was sued for nothing except doing it too well. If he had used the new API, he would just get sued faster.

No, it's obvious that since it's a picture of Muhammad in a bear suit, they must have drawn Muhammad first, and then drawn the bear suit over him. Otherwise, it'd just be a picture of a bear-suit, and nothing to be upset about.

Precisely. Nothing like walking down the street in any major city with coins jingling in your pocket. Talk about panhandler magnets...

I wasn't aware that the servers needed protection. Why don't they hire security guards instead of arming the servers? Seems like it would be safer tha way.